A 20-year-old student has captured widespread attention after taking on the enormous task of cleaning a polluted river largely through his own efforts.
Surendra Singh Choudhry, better known online as Bittu Tabahi, is a BSc student from Biaora, Madhya Pradesh, who became deeply concerned after seeing the condition of the Ajnar River.
Instead of waiting for a major organisation or government-led clean-up campaign, Bittu decided to take action himself.
He began removing plastic waste, bottles, algae and other rubbish from the river using basic equipment. He also spent his own money purchasing the supplies needed for the work.
At first, some friends helped him with the clean-up. But as the project continued, Bittu carried on largely by himself. Some sections of the river reportedly took months of persistent effort to clean.
The work came with serious challenges.
Bittu faced criticism from people who questioned whether his efforts were genuinely about the environment or simply an attempt to gain attention on social media. He also reportedly experienced health problems, including skin issues, after prolonged exposure to the polluted water and surroundings.
Despite the criticism and difficulties, he continued returning to the river.
Photos showing the before-and-after transformation of the areas he worked on eventually began spreading widely online. The dramatic changes brought attention to his determination and commitment to improving the environment.
His efforts even caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who highlighted Bittu’s work as an example of how social-media attention can be turned into meaningful real-world action.
Bittu’s story is a reminder that environmental change doesn’t always begin with a huge organisation or a massive budget.
Sometimes, it starts with one person deciding they are tired of watching a problem and choosing to do something about it. 🌱👏
One student. Basic equipment. Months of work. A river that looks completely different.
