India in News for Inspirational Stories of Success

India is no more known for superstitions. India is in news at home and abroad for the few whose efforts, achievements, determination, vision, mission and aspirations make inspirational stories for the mass. Indian Eagle introduces the faces behind some of the stories of rural India and urban India in order to give you a contemporary picture of the better India.

The Daring Debut Director of India

Churni Ganguly, one of the debut directors of India in 2014, won the National Film Award for her directorial debut Nirbashito (Banished) in the Best Bengali Film category. An eminent Bengali actress and wife of maverick filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly, Churni Ganguly is daring enough to have made a biopic on the life of Taslima Nasrin, a most controversial author who has been living in exile in New York.

The Water Man of India

Rajendra Singh, a social activist from India, has been awarded the Stockholm Water Prize for 2015 for his organization’s active role in giving a new lease of life to a thousand villages through revival of several rivers and small water bodies. Known as the “Water Man of India”, Rajendra Singh has transformed many abandoned and impoverished villages into prosperous ones by applying the Indian rainwater harvesting method. He is also recognized for his contributions towards empowerment of women.

The Youngest Archer of India

Dolly Shivani Cherukuri, a native of Andhra Pradesh, will take you aback when you will get to know how old she is. The youngest Indian to have made her way to the Indian Book of Records is only 35 months old. Unlike the kids of her age, Dolly is busy strengthening her grip on the art of archery. At such a tender age, she set a national record by having scored 200 points over 5 and 7 meter distances. Dolly’s brother, late Cherukuri Lenin, was an international archer.

India’s Nomination for Booker Prize 2015

Amitav Ghosh, 58-year-old Indian English author, is on the list of finalists for the prestigious Booker Prize this year. The Kolkata-born author is known for his immense contribution to writing in Indian English. A Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology, a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a Padma Shri awardee, Amitav Ghosh has several bestselling titles in his repertoire: ‘Sea of Poppies’, ‘The Glass Palace’, ‘The Calcutta Chromosome’, ‘The Circle of Reason’, ‘The Hungry Tide’, ‘The Shadow Lines’, and ‘River of Smoke’.

The Aspiring Martian of India

Taranjeet Singh Bhatia is one of the three aspiring Indians among the 100 Martians who have been shortlisted for one-way trip to Mars, from across the world. 29-year-old Taranjeet is pursuing a PhD degree in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. Since childhood, he has been intrigued by the mysteries of space. Even he was gripped by the idea of becoming an astronaut. Taranjeet says that he will be missing aloo paranthas if he has to leave Earth for Mars.

The Brave Bride of India

Santosh Prajapat, a newly-wed bride in the rural backwaters of Rajasthan, set an example of bravery for girls in the patriarchal society by giving preference to her education over the rituals of marriage. She got married early in this month. Santhosh kept the bridegroom party waiting for her bidaai (farewell to parents’ house) and went to write her BA final examination the next day of her marriage. She braved the odds to be educated and empowered before leaving for her in-laws’ house.

The Mason of India with a Mission

Kalavati Devi is a 55-year-old mason on a mission to build toilets and stop open defecation in her village and the neighboring villages in Uttar Pradesh. In a bid to stop open defecation, she goes from door to door and collects funds for construction of toilets. For her, it is not just a matter of sanitation but also a matter of women’s dignity, which is often under threat due to defecation in the open. According to reports from WHO and UNICEF, around 300 million women in India are victims of open defecation due to lack of basic sanitation facilities.