Real Heroes: Ordinary People Extraordinary Service

Network 18, Nita Ambani, Rajdeep Sardesai

Description

These are stories of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work for our society and our nation. An initiative started by CNN-IBN and Reliance Industries, they honour twenty-four real heroes every year. In its third edition, this initiative recognizes the real life heroes who never gave up against adversities and served the cause close to their hearts. The selfless acts of these 48 unsung heroes from across the nation in categories as diverse as women s welfare, social welfare, health & disability, youth, education & children and sports will inspire the nation and prove that with determination and self belief even an ordinary person can have a profound impact on our society.

1.Inspiring stories of ordinary people; 2. These narratives can make the readers empathise with the problems our society is trying to deal with; 3. Most importantly, these stories can make one realize that every little act of kindness counts.

Sujets

• Non Fiction (song)
• Biography
• Stories
• Ambani
• Anthology
• Welfare
• Story
• Reliance
• The Beatles Anthology
• Autobiography
• Real

Informations

• Publié par: Roli Books
• Date de parution: 01 août 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789351940579
• Langue: English

Extrait

About the book
Real Heroes: Ordinary People Extraordinary Service is a book of heartwarming and inspiring stories of ordinary people who have taken the mighty task of accomplishing the extraordinary feat of changing the world around them, for the better. The book, published in 2011, is dedicated to the winners of Reliance Foundation’s Real Heroes initiative. This initiative recognizes 24 selfless and extraordinary citizens from across the country and rewards them annually for their work.
In this edition, readers are introduced to strong willed women like Binalakshmi Nepram from Manipur, who helps widowed women who have been affected by insurgency, and Chandralekha, who helps the girls from a small village in Uttar Pradesh escape prostitution. From crusaders like Gyanesh Pandey, who left America to work in Bihar, to environmental activists such as Anil Joshi working in drought-hit Madhya Pradesh; the book chronicles the lives of everyday people who dare to dream and dare to win.
Started in 2008, Real Heroes is a social initiative undertaken by CNN-IBN and Network 18 in partnership with Reliance Foundation. Every year, the editorial team at CNN-IBN researches and brings to light the story of 24 deserving heroes from the hinterlands of the nation, who have contributed towards the betterment of their immediate society.
Real Heroes

ROLI BOOKS
This digital edition published in 2014
First published in 2011 by The Lotus Collection An Imprint of Roli Books Pvt. Ltd M-75, Greater Kailash II Market New Delhi 110 048 Phone: ++91 (011) 40682000 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.rolibooks.com
Copyright © Network18
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, print reproduction, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Roli Books. Any unauthorized distribution of this e-book may be considered a direct infringement of copyright and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
eISBN: 978-93-5194-057-9
All rights reserved. This e-book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published.
CONTENTS

Foreword by Nita M. Ambani
Introduction by Rajdeep Sardesai
N. KRISHNAN | Chef’s Food Service
RENY GEORGE | Breaking Shackles
SUNITHA KRISHNAN | Being Positive
BHAGWAN NAGARGOJE | Run Sagroli, Run!
CHEWANG NORPHEL | The Ice Man
ABHAY ANAND & ANAND KUMAR | Mentoring Super 30
D. ASHISH | Mission of Mercy
SONAM WANGCHUK | New Hope
Dr PRABHAKAR | Banking on Women
JAI PRAKASH DABRAL | Saving Environment
AHMED KHAN | Recycling Waste
SWAPAN MUKHERJEE | An Open Sky
K.P. THOMAS | The Master of the Heroes
Dr NISHTHA DESAI | Preserving Innocence
SHARAD SHARMA | Comic Revolution
ANIL JOSHI | Empowering Lives
HANEEF LAKDAWALA | Bridging Divides
RAJPAL SINGH | Shooting for the Stars
DHARANIDHAR BORO | Preserving for the Future
Dr SUBROTO DAS | Highway Life Line
ARMENE MODI | Riding to a Better Future
DEEP JOSHI | Discovering Hope
SUSHMA IYENGAR | Rehabilitating Life
M.C. MARY KOM | Born to Fight
ZAPUTOU ANGAMI | Angel of Mercy
HAREKALA HAJABBA | The Fruits of Sacrifice
ASHOK RATHOD | Football & Oscar Club
NISHEETH MEHTA | Living with Dignity
K. SUJATHA | Wings of Optimism
K.M. CHINNAPPA | The Man Who Saved Nagarhole
ANSON THOMAS | Doing God’s Work
Dr ROUF M. MALIK | Doctor Hope
BABAR ALI | What’s Age Got to Do With It?
KARSANBHAI PATEL | Swimming Against the Tide
ANJINA RAJAGOPAL | A Maternal Bond
ANSHU GUPTA | The Resonance of the Goonj
MOHAN FOUNDATION | Harvesting Lives
RANGASWAMY ELANGO | Sarpanch Self-reliant
DAVINDER SINGH | On the Right Track
SAVITRI VAITHI | The Silver Lining
JAGBIR SINGH SUDAN | The Miracle Healer
MOHAMMED SHARIF | Real-Life Munnabhai
DEEPAK SAHA | Fulfilling a Dream
HEMANT PATEL | Ladled with Love
GUDDU BABA | Restoring Sanctity and Sanity
JALPANA PAUL | Sporting for Support
SHAMJIBHAI J. ANTALA | The Pied Piper of Saurashtra
SUBHASHINI MISTRY | A Resilient Humanitarian
FOREWORD



N othing is more inspiring than the exemplary efforts of ordinary men and women taking transformative actions that impact the lives of others in positive and sustainable ways. As Oscar Wilde put it, ‘the ordinary gives the world its existence, the extraordinary gives it its value.’ Appreciating and sharing the transformative actions of our heroes galvanizes many more of us to follow in their footsteps. the ‘real heroes’ initiative celebrates the triumph of the human spirit to make an enduring difference to others by passionately engaging with one’s dreams.
Operating valiantly at the grass-roots level and combining the powers of creativity and compassion, these ‘real heroes’ have turned the seemingly impossible into the possible. they have proven that there is no deterrent for the determined to make this world a better place. these audacious pathfinders have committed themselves to providing a lifeline to the people they work for, without the spotlight of publicity.
These heroes have demonstrated the courage to rise above one’s needs and care for others. they have faced obstacles that were uncommon. We see the common thread of sacrifice in all of them – to see others happy, to see a smile on a distressed face, to allow someone to live a dignified life. the actions of these heroes put forth a profound message – the indomitable human spirit has no limits.
Reliance industries Limited is proud to be part of this exemplary initiative. i compliment the CNN-iBN team for capturing how these unsung heroes have put their passion and purpose into action and publishing their stories in this book. it is my sincere hope that their endeavours will rekindle the noble spirit of service and magnify the human potential to create a new equilibrium of economic progress and social well-being. Let the actions of these catalysts of transformation lead the way for all of us to recognize our real heroes within.
January 2011
With best wishes Nita M. Ambani Chairperson, reliance Foundation
INTRODUCTION



‘W hen will journalism show the positive aspects of the indian story?’ that question is often asked to a cynical journalist who tends to see the glass as half-full. But when the questioner is Mukesh Ambani, the richest indian and an icon for millions, then you tend to sit up and take notice. It was one such conversation at a ceremonial reception at rashtrapati Bhavan that helped germinate the idea of real heroes. In an atmosphere of negativity and despair, real heroes was CNN-IBN’s attempt in partnership with reliance industries Ltd to recognize the unrecognized, to celebrate an india beyond the celebrities.
The goal was clear: identify 24 real heroes every year, ordinary indian men and women who’ve performed extraordinary service, and done so selflessly. But even with a clarity of goal, the task wasn’t easy. it required us to step beyond the routine, to explore and discover those hidden jewels from every nook and corner of this large country. What we discovered turned out to be a treasure chest of heroes.
So in a society that glorifies aspiration, we met N. Krishnan, a five-star chef who left his job to feed the poor homeless people of his city Madurai.
Even as corporate greed led to the biggest market crash, there was Nisheeth Mehta redefining corporate responsibility by employing only differently-abled in his factory in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
We met fifteen-year-old Babar Ali, the youngest principal in the world running the most impoverished school but brimming with hope in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Suhasini Mistry, a fruit seller who through sheer determination set up a free hospital for the poor in hunsukpur near Kolkata.
In Ladakh we met the real-life Funsuk Wangadoo, sonam Wangchuk who inspired Aamir Khan’s character in 3 Idiots .
These are just a few examples. in this book, you will meet 48 real heroes, from the first two editions of our journey. each of these real heroes presents a fascinating mirror to an india which offers hope and inspiration to millions. We have divided the real heroes into various categories – rural development, women and children, healthcare, social welfare, environment, and youth heroes. What unites them is their burning desire for a better society and their ability to achieve their goals without being in the arclights.
And yet, these ‘anonymous’ indians unite us all with their courage and commitment to be agents of change. i still remember the first year we held a function in Mumbai to honour them. For many of them, it was their first visit to the maximum city, leave aside a five-star hotel. they were being honoured by the likes of Nita and Mukesh Ambani, Aamir Khan, and sunil Gavaskar. the audience was the whose who of the big city. And yet, not one of our real heroes was overawed by the occasion. instead, as they told their stories on stage, their dignity and self-confidence touched everyone in their presence, leaving many moist-eyed and truly humbled. One of them, a farmer-entrepreneur from uttarakhand even offered Mukeshbhai a business partnership!
Today, real heroes is not just another television event. its become a passion for all of us at CNN-iBN, an opportunity to connect Bharat and india in a spirit of positive energy. Our website www.realheroes.com has become a forum to bring together these wonderful individuals and create a movement for transforming society. this book is part of that process. We have one ambition: the stories of these 48 real heroes should inspire millions of indians to have the self-belief to make india a better place to live in.
March 2011
Rajdeep Sardesai Editor-in-Chief CNN-IBN, IBN 7 & IBN-Lokmat
N. KRISHNAN Chef ’s Food Service