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Doing Good Great
Chapter 12: Of Human Waste and Wasted Humans
BINDESHWAR PATHAK
Country: India
Organisation: Sulabh International Social Service Organisation
Cause: Toilets / Social Inequality
With his aspirations to become a university lecturer, the last thing on 20-year old Bindeshwar Pathak’s mind was a career in sanitation. Yet, 30 years later, providing decent toilets and improving the plight of manual scavengers have become his steadfast calling.
Needless to say, his decision to pursue this path in life did not go down well with his high-status Brahmin family. But Pathak persevered, having made the leap from impassive voyeur to ardent activist after witnessing the plight of the scavengers.
His journey has been riddled with challenges: from dealing with bureaucracy and the lack of sustained funding, to tackling resistance to paradigm shifts in deep-seated societal values.
The outcome of his untiring work so far includes an innovative two-pit pour-flush compost toilet that has a seat in the sanitation hall of fame, and a suite of innovative approaches to tackle the issue of stubborn social discrimination in India.
Brief facts
BINDESHWAR PATHAK
|
1943 |
Born in village of Rampur in Bihar, India, to Dr Rama Kant Pathak and Mrs Maya Devi, both of the Brahmin Caste |
|
1964 |
Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Sociology, Bih ar National College, Patna |
|
1965 |
Married Amola Pathak |
|
1968 |
Joined the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee |
|
1970 |
Founded Sulabh Shauchalaya Sansthan (now known as Sulabh International Social Service Organisation) |
|
1973 |
Put up the first two Sulabh Shauchalayas for demonstration in the compound of the Arrah Municipality |
|
1974 |
Piloted the pay-and-use concept for public baths and community toilets in India |
|
1978 |
Sulabh methodology and technology received approval from agencies like WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, and several state governments in India |
|
1994 |
Started Sulabh International Museum of Toilets |
|
2003 |
Started Sulabh University |
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
|
1984 |
K. P. Goenka Memorial Award |
|
1991 |
Padma Bushan Award |
|
1992 |
The International Saint Francis Prize for the Environment “Canticle of All Creatures” |
|
2000 |
UNCHS’ Dubai International Award for “Best Practices for Improving the Living Environment” |
|
2003 |
UN-Habitat’s Scroll of Honour UNEP’s Global 500 Roll of Honour Award Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar |
|
2008 |
Energy Globe’s National Energy Globe Award World Toilet Organization’s Hall of Fame Award |
|
2009 |
Stockholm Water Prize Laureate |
|
2013 |
Legend of Planet Award |