#SwachhBharatMission- A #CleanIndia begins with cleaning mindsets, beliefs, values, culture and behaviours!

5 min readApr 30, 2017

The start up of Swachh Bharat Mission in 2011 with Celebrities and Captains of Industry joining Jerry to clean the streets of India and set an example to inspire others. See here from left to Right facing you are Jeroninio “Jerry” Almeida, Baby Venika, Actor and Crusader Amala Akkineni, Good Samaritan and Entrepreneur Meitin Connolly, Actor, Crusader & Political Leader Gul Panag, UN Volunteers Leader Amita Dahiya and Sridhar Reddy CMD of CtrlS.

The roots for Swachh-Bharat- Mission began in 2003, when Colleges/B-schools started inviting me for ethical leadership talks-workshops when we launched JOY OF GIVING.

Getting Ready with students in Bhopal to clean the streets of their city.

B-School Students feel gratified after cleaning the streets in their city. Co-incidentally a Press Reporter who was passing by, saw us cleaning the streets and stopped by. He was pleasantly surprised to know that Good Human Values are also being taught in some B-schools and not just profiteering. He wrote a story about the students and the B-school in a national daily.

After 7 years of cleaning many roads around school,colleges, B-schools , with student leaders, I invited UN leaders, captains of Industry like #PSridharReddy, #CMD — #CtrlS, actors and crusaders #AmalaAkkineni , #GulPanag, #JaavedJaffrey and other #Karmaveer Puraskaar and #KarmaveerChakra award recipients to clean India.

Gul Panag, Sridhar Reddy and Amita Dahiya addressing the press and the audience about owning our Indivdual Social Responsibility.

In 2012 #ArmandoGonsalves and I enthused #ManoharParrikar- #GoaChiefMinister to VOLUNTARILY clean the Goa streets and creeks with us.

#ArmandoGonsalves and Goa CM #ManoharParrikar address the audience about the importance of public service and cleanliness. In a public discussion moderated by your’s truly, the CM also pledges to clean up corruption and other socio-political concerns plaguing Goa.

Armando Gonsalves of Goa Forgiving Cleans the streets with Manohar Parrikar and others.

#ManoharParrikar then worked with us to influence honorable #PMofIndia Mr. #NarendraModi to announce this as a national movement.

Launched on 2nd October 2012, Publisher- #BusinessWorld, #AnuragBatra, #Chairman- #ApeejaySurrendraGroup #KaranPaul, #Supermodel #IndraniDasgupta and several others joined us to voluntarily clean India and inspired fellow Indians. “#KeedaHaiKyatoCleanIndia?”, was the simple campaign that triggered the #SwachhBharatMission

Jerry cleaning the streets with supermodel Indrani Dasgupta, Media Tycoon Anurag Batra and Captain of Industry Karan Paul — Chairman of the Apeejay Surrendra Group.

But alas, during my #LeadershipLectures around India, addressing an auditorium of 500–2000 people in companies, colleges and schools, asking who all have picked the broom to clean India, less than 10% of the audience raise their hands.

People find it embarrassing and undignified to clean their #Own #Home. Sad!

Diligently cleaning India to inspire others to do so too.

Circa 2007, my ethical leadership-workshop at India’s most premier B-School in Hyderabad. An integral part of the program is to have students cleaning streets on Day-2. I have to inspire students to volunteer.

We offer no certificates, brownie-points nor mandate students to join in.

However, it is mandated that all staff (faculty/admin) will clean the streets with me.

So, end of Day 1, I asked that CLASS OF 2007 to buy brooms and garbage-bags.

Next day most had brought the cleaning-implements (around 10–15 % choose not to volunteer).

One student (an investment-banker) tells me “Jerry I’m sorry, I won’t be joining. I am an intellectual and meant for better things”.

I responded amusingly “Sure, there is no need. After all you are an intellectual. We are slaves”.

I elbowed him humorously “See your Dean, Professors there! They have garbage-bags and brooms in their hands and are joining me to clean India. I wonder what an intellectual could learn from these Idiots? Tch, Tch!”

He still didn’t get it.

It took some time for bulbs to bling.

He then came to me and joined in to clean the streets with us.

Chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Group Karan Paul and Supermodel Indrani Dasgupta cleaning the streets with students and volunteers.

Idea for Action:

In some Indian cities and villages “#KeedaHaiKya?” is slang to reproach someone who wants to do something righteous or #PathBreaking and walk the road less traveled.

For example, if you address wrongs and stand up for the right, people will say #KeedaHaiKya to become Raja Harishchandra? (A King from India, who always walked the path of Righteousness and spoke the truth)

The Toon that inspired our PM to make this a national movement called Swachh Bharat Mission. Also seen in the picture is Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar along with Armando Gonsalves and Jerry addressing the public to own their Individual Social Responsibility.

India’s mission-statement is “#SatyamevaJayate (truth triumphs)”.

Sad India has very few people who stand for the truth and do right.

There is no shame in hard work.

The shame is in indulging in acts of scams, corruption, fraud or any wrongdoings by taking short cuts to achieve success.

All hard work is dignified.

We must understand #DignityofLabour.

PM of India Narendra Modi cleaning the streets with the people of India.

Hard work cannot be replaced by smart-work, only complemented.

Smart-work without hard work could have dire consequences.

Many Children and Students are also now picking up the broom to clean India.

We must get rid of the manacles in our mind.

There is no embarrassment in any hard work or cleaning our home.

India is our home and we must take pride in cleaning it for fulfilling our fundamental duties as citizens.

Many Celebrities are also coming out to Clean India and inspire the people of India to keep India clean and participate in cleaning their home called India. Seen here is Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

To conclude the final words of insight are.

We need to develop the right mindsets, beliefs, human values and behaviours and this will make us better human beings, better citizens and better professionals at work.

- Jeroninio ‘Jerry’ Almeida is the author of Karma Kurry bestselling book series which has inspiring true stories of real uncommon, unusual and unsung heroes. He recently also collaborated for a book ‘Mann Ki Baat” with the honorable Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi. Jerry is now working on his cutting edge personal development book series which will be published as the #moJOshInspirator learning series. Jerry is also the thought leader and creator of movements like Right every Wrong, REX- Not Just Talks; Ideas for action, Karmaveer Awards, iDishoom.com (the first citizen reporting and whistle-blowing news & views media portal), Swachh Bharat Mission, Karma Mitra and The Joy of Giving (which has been adapted and adopted in India and several parts of the world now as Joy of Giving week, Joy of Sharing week, Giving Tuesdays etc).

#SwachhBharatMission- A #CleanIndia begins with cleaning mindsets, beliefs, values, culture and behaviours!

Written by Jeroninio Almeida