A series on CNN-IBN, showcasing stories of courage, hope, inventions, discoveries, harmony and peace.
Honest railway worker returns money found in train
There are many Indians who are living examples of courage and decency, and who believe in doing constructive work for a better future. Bhagwan Das is one such Indian. He has worked as a railway attendant since 1984 and every time a towel or bedsheet goes missing from the AC section of the train, the cost is deducted from his
Quota not a must for success: Dalit businessman
Taking inspiration from the Black Capitalism movement in the US in the 70s, India's Dalit community is now focusing on a parallel Dalit capitalism movement. The movement started by a handful of Dalit entrepreneurs, is slowly becoming the new war cry for progress in the community.
Chennai: Girl with special needs feeds poor
Thirty-year-old R Babli and her friends, suffering from Down syndrome, have received special care and attention from others. However, on the Joy of Giving week, she wants to give back to those who are also in need.
Delhi: Man saves wild animals battling for life
India's urban spaces are more than just concrete jungles. They harbour animals like jackals, mongoose and nilgai. But life in a metro can also be tough for these creatures. A porcupine was rescued from an 18-feet well, a wolf snake gave the athletes a scare when it showed up in their rooms during the Commonwealth Games and a nilgai that
Man on wheelchair invents disabled-friendly cars
An accident in 1998 altered the course of Biju Verghese's life, confining him to a wheelchair forever. 13 years on, Biju still battles the demons as he recollects that fateful accident. But the 38-year-old electrician from Kerala's Erumeli town didn't let despair defeat him. Instead, he picked up the pieces and toiled away hours in a thatched roof workshop to
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A special focus on feel-good stories of courage and compassion, invention and discovery, peace and harmony only on CNN-IBN.
Pune: School helps blind realise their dreams
As a visually impaired student, sixteen year old Suchita felt there were no vocational institutes where she could realise her dream of becoming a teacher. That's when she heard of Meera Badve's Niwant, a school and vocational institute in Pune.
Arjun Vajpai: scaling new heights
Most 10-year-olds like football and video games. But, for mountaineer Arjun Vajpai, it was the mountains calling when he was 10. A family trek at the Sahyadri hills set off his mountain lust and later pushed him to scale some of the world's highest peaks including Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse and Mt Manaslu. The young Delhi achiever has gone where
Naxal who gave up arms to educate the poor
On November 13, 2005, as many as 1000 armed Naxals had taken the entire town of Jahanabad hostage. They had broken into the prison, shot 11 policemen and freed 150 of their comrades.
IITian who brought light to several homes
Harish Hande, a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, has brought light to some of the poorest and darkest corners of Karnataka.
Diamond trader turns Surat into a green zone
A diamond trader in Surat has decided to light up the city this Diwali with a unique initiative. Industrialist Pintu Dholakia is gifting saplings to his employees as Diwali greetings.
Bhubaneswar: Healing mentally-ill through Diwali festivities
Diwali festivities are being used as a way to provide therapy to 150 mentally-challenged women at 'Mission Ashra' in Bhubaneswar. This Diwali India is positive and shining.
Girl fights Down's syndrome, enlightens others
In what can be called a story of hope and courage, two sisters are creating awareness about Down's syndrome. In fact one of them suffers from the disorder, but has refused to be let down by it and both the sisters are breaking stereotypes along the way.
A social soldier fights for underprivileged kids
Captain Navin Gulia from Gurgaon is a source of inspiration and is helping many spread their wings despite he himself being confined to a wheelchair. Gulia has been instrumental in giving a new sense of freedom to many differently-able and underprivileged children.
US-returned Moily's son provides financial empowerment to villages
Harsha Moily, Union Minister for Corporate Affairs M Veerappa Moily's son, gave up his cushy job in the US to contribute back home. He has empowered hundreds of villagers in Karnataka through the milk collection network, known as the MokhshaYug Access, he has set up.
Bhubaneswar: Private doctor offers free medical treatment to underprivileged burn victims
A plastic surgeon in Bhubaneswar Dr Jayant Kumar Dash is helping several underprivileged burn victims with not just free medical treatment but by rebuilding their lives.
Men and women on wheelchairs travel miles
There are people who showcase hope even in moments of great despair. Physically challenged men and women in Kolkata have refused to be restricted by their disabilities.
Bhubaneshwar: Mental home uses Diwali festivities as therapy
Mission Ashra in Bhubaneshwar is using the Diwali festivities as therapy for women with special needs and helping them reunite with their families. It has transformed Indira Choudhary's life, giving the 38-year-old the much-needed refuge to recover from a nervous breakdown after her father's death in 2006.
Go green this Diwali, help the environment
Diwali has become synonymous with noisy crackers, glitzy gift boxes and excess of lights - in short - a nightmare for the environment. However, there are individuals and children who are doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprint.
West Bengal: IIT alumnus revives folk art
The IIT Kharagpur alumnus Amitava Bhattacharya has quit his cushy job in the Silicon Valley to give a new lease of life to a dying art form in West Bengal.
Bihar: Retired IPS officer educates backward tribe
A retired IPS officer in Bihar JK Sinha has set up a free English-medium residential school to educate 200 young Musahar boys. It's a big step for the tribe which is one of the state's most backward communities.
US-returned Moily's son provides financial empowerment to villages
Harsha Moily, Union Minister for Corporate Affairs M Veerappa Moily's son, gave up his cushy job in the US to contribute back home. He has empowered hundreds of villagers in Karnataka through the milk collection network, known as the MokhshaYug Access, he has set up.
Bhopal: Girl with Down syndrome is a swimming champion
A 12-year old swimming champion from Bhopal, Ira Parihar, has accomplished what most swimmers have not even attempted, despite suffering from Down syndrome.
HIV survivor fighting for rights of patients for the last 20 years
Shiba Phurailatpam, an HIV survivor, has been fighting for the rights of HIV positive people for the past 20 years. A drug user during his youth, Phurailatpam probably was infected through shared needles, along with many of his friends.
Bihar children turn reporters to highlight issues
A group of children in Bihar have found a unique way to highlight their everyday problems. They have turned reporters to create awareness about child marriage, child labour and other issues.
Mumbai: Ex-sex worker helps others lead normal life
Forced into prostitution at the age of 10, Ayesha is fighting back. Not just that she is also helping others like her find life away from the brothels of the city.
Hamid Bhat: The mechanic who turned millionaire
A scooter mechanic turned millionaire has also turned an environmentalist in Kashmir. Along with his business, he also runs a successful eco club giving away free saplings to his customers and over 46,000 have already been planted.
French woman devotes her life to Bihar villages
Jeanne Pere, a retired French teacher, has left France to make Bodh Gaya her home with a mission to provide free education, healthcare and a better life to her neighbourhood that she now calls her Bihar family.
India Positive: Best stories of 2011
This week, we bring stories of people and organisations that reach out to bring joy to those who need it the most.
Sports teacher a real-life hero!
This is Dausa's very own 'Chak De' moment. And doing a real-life Kabir Khan is Irfan Ahmad. From honing sporting skills and spirit of his students to making sure they stay fit, to helping them land government jobs, he's telling them the importance of learning to lose gracefully, this sports teacher is a real-life hero!
HIV survivor fighting for rights of patients for the last 20 years
Shiba Phurailatpam, an HIV survivor, has been fighting for the rights of HIV positive people for the past 20 years. A drug user during his youth, Phurailatpam probably was infected through shared needles, along with many of his friends.
Visually impaired battle odds to play cricket
In a cricket crazy nation like India, everyone wants to enjoy the game let alone play it. There is a group of young boys in the capital whose love for the sport hasn't got in the way of their physical disabilities.
K'taka: Doctor gives free cosmetic surgery to rural India
Dr Vikram Shetty has taken cosmetic surgery to the interiors of India and that too for free. He's giving the youth a fresh lease of life and helping them look just the way they want to.
Delhi: 75-year old is 'medicine baba' for the poor
A 75-year old in Delhi goes door to door collecting unused medicines. Omkar Nath takes his entire collection to NGOs and hospitals that work for the poor. At 75, Omkar has a booming voice and a strong will.
The industrial designer who changed rural lives
Industrial Designer Neelam Chibber founded Mother Earth with the aim of providing markets for rural craftsmen. Chibber and her efforts to give a facelift to rural craftsmanship have not gone unnoticed.
Dr Siddiqi's project can ensure food for millions
Dr Imran Siddiqi's research on hybrid plants can ensure enough food for millions of Indians. He has also won the Infosys Prize for 2011 in Life Sciences.
K Soundarajan: making Maths easy
Kannan Soundarajan is someone who revolutionised the mathematical world with his number theory. He is the winner of the Infosys Foundation Science Prize 2011.
Woman tracks 43 diet plans to lose weight; pens book to ensure she doesn't become fat again
In an age where people tend to be judged for their looks and weight as well, how hard is it to be fat in India? How hard is to come back from what media professional Kalli Purie calls the dark zone?
Rajasthan: Khap Panchayat makes education mandatory for girls
Khap Panchayats are infamous for their scarily unreasonable diktats. But in a village in Rajasthan's Barmer, a rare order by one such Panchayat, 20 years ago, came as a blessing for girls.
India marks first year without new polio cases
India has marked a significant milestone, with no new polio cases reported for one year. It's a result of a massive health programme - the routine pulse polio immunisation program. In the last few years India has mobilized 24 lakh volunteers and 1.5 lakh front line workers in an effort that's cost a 1000 crore rupees every year.
Mumbai: Woman plays matchmaker for differently abled
Mumbai's 84-year old Prabha Pense has been playing matchmaker for the differently abled for the last 22 years. In the case of Prabha Pense, a resident of Mumbai's Shivaji Park, one is never too old to play cupid. The octogenarian plays matchmaker to singles and all are differently-abled.
Bhanu Pratap Mehta: Multitasker par excellence
Dr Pratap Bhanu Mehta is a man who wears many hats and juggles many roles. He has closely observed and written about Indian politics and education for more than twenty years now.
Infosys prize winner Dr Sriram Ramaswamy solves tricky laws of physics
Dr Sriram Ramaswamy won the Infosys Prize 2011 for Physical Sciences. He used his knowledge of theoretical physics to crack a question commonly asked in biology. Thanks to his research, we now have answers to some of the mysteries of the laws of nature.
Kurla school brings cricket to the slums
Cricket is no longer the bastion of elite gentlemen's clubs. The new crop of stars in Mumbai's cricket circuit has more humble origins. A school near the slums of Kurla is emerging as a tough opponent for many elite schools in the city.
WB: Ex-IAS officer makes healthcare affordable
A former IAS officer and a doctor in West Bengal has undertaken an initiative to make healthcare accessible and affordable, looking to help more than 70 per cent of India's population living in the villages.
India marks first year without new polio cases
India has marked a significant milestone, with no new polio cases reported for one year. It's a result of a massive health programme - the routine pulse polio immunisation program. In the last few years India has mobilized 24 lakh volunteers and 1.5 lakh front line workers in an effort that's cost a 1000 crore rupees every year.
South Kolkata children miss school to clean park named after Vivekananda
While the rest of the country celebrated Swami Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary with much pomp and show, a group of young children in south Kolkata showed a more effective way of commemorating the day. They decided to clean up a park named after him and 16-year-old Abha missed her school just for this.
Teenager invents anti-molestation device for women
A young inventor, Manu Chopra, may soon change the way women travel in the country. He has invented an anti-molestation device for women, which can be worn as a wrist watch.
Lighting the lives of school drop-outs
Nalini Gangadharan, who started her work on empowering the youth through education in Andhra Pradesh in 2005, has now educated more than 10,000 students across the country. Lighting the lives of dropout kids, Nalini Gangadharan is awakening the society. She is raising a ray of hope in dark lives of pupils who were unfortunate to get formal education.
Gujarat woman works to save vanishing sparrows
The common house sparrow is not so common anymore and seems to have vanished from the cities. The tiny bird is now battling for survival having witnessed a sharp decline in most Indian cities. An elderly woman in Gandhinagar has a plan to bring them back.
Bihar: Woman treats leprosy patients for free
Kabita Bhattarai is a lone crusader in the battle against leprosy. Setting up an ashram in a remote corner near the Bihar-Nepal border, she has treated nearly half a million patients for free in her 240-bed leprosy hospital.
NRI family returns to J&K, establishes a school
The family of Sabbah Haji, which left a comfortable life abroad to come home to Kashmir and make a difference, have set up a school in a remote village of Doda in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bangalore: Giving a dignified burial to the unclaimed
Mahadeva, a resident of Bangalore, has been burying the dead for the past 40 years, but instead of being bogged down by the morbid job, he believes he's blessed. For 40 years, Mahadeva has given a dignified exit to at least 75,000 dead people, most of them unclaimed.
India becomes polio-free, but threat remains
India has completed one entire year without registering a single polio case in any part of the country. Bringing down the number from 2 lakh a year to zero is a commendable achievement and an example before other countries to follow. But there is hardly any room for complacency.
Asia's first woman commercial pilot on literacy mission
After achieving a successful career in the aviation industry, Asia's first woman commercial pilot Captain Indrani Singh has been molding the lives of many children and women, helping them to be self-sufficient and earn a life of respect. She started the NGO, Literacy India, which is helping more than 25 thousand women and children.
J&K police's de-addiction centre a hit with the youth
The police in Jammu and Kashmir, mostly in the news for all the wrong reasons, are in the limelight this time. They have set up a drug de-addiction centre in the valley to help the youth.
Techie fixed mom's PC at 14, becomes CEO at 28
Meet a 28-year-old computer wizard who's set up his own software company, raising million dollars in investment. Sachin Dev Duggal has designed software for businesses around the world and he hopes his own company will be the next big thing in computers.
A cobbler who turned journalist to fight for justice
Suresh Nandmehar is a cobbler by profession and a journalist by passion. The class 10 dropout from Bhopal is the writer, printer and publisher of the magazine 'Baal Ki Khaall'. The idea came to him in 1999 when he and fellow cobblers were evicted from lane next to Bhopal Municipal Corporation. They all sat on a dharna for 27 days,
Saving one of the largest wetlands of Kolkata
A handful of citizens in Kolkata have made it their mission to go on a massive clean up drive and their focus is to try and save one of the largest wetlands of the city - the Bikramgarh Lake.
India gets its first ever Paralympics swimmer Sharath Gayakwad
A swimmer from Karnataka, Sharath Gayakwad, is the first Indian swimmer to qualify for the Paralympics. Born with a deformed hand, Sharath has managed to swim against all odds to get there. 'I want to be an Olympic champion and break a world record,' the Paraswimmer said.
Village boy Parvinder Awana now a rising IPL star
While the superstars tend to grab the headlines in the Indian Premier League (IPL), it also provides a stage for some virtual unknowns to grab the limelight. This season, a 25-year-old fast bowler, Parvinder Awana, has made quite an impression.
WB: Harijan group fights discrimination through theatre
Eighteen-year-old Kajal is one of the few girls of her community to have studied till class 10. But that hasn't stopped her and other boys and girls of the Harijan community in Kalyani to take a giant leap of faith - fight the evils of defection through theatre.
Kerala: Cooking turns therapeutic for jail inmates
A few inmates of the Poojapura Central Prison in Thiruvanathapuram have been making their way into the community's hearts through their stomachs. They make chapattis and chicken curry and sell it to eager citizens for Rs 25.
Hyderabad man provides shelter to the homeless
For nearly two years, 30-year-old Ramesh Kothwal has been responsible for saving the lives and providing shelter to several destitutes in Hyderabad.
Meet Abheek Anand, the Indian entrepreneur whose tech firm TagTile was bought by Facebook
A young guy starts a company and an international brand shows interest and snaps it for a huge sum of money - this is a common story in the US but not when it comes to India. But Abheek Anand's tech firm TagTile has just been acquired by Facebook.
Delhi: Watching husband suffer, woman fights the drug abuse menace
Delhi's Rekha Jhingan has been fighting the menace of drug abuse for the past 20 years after her own athlete husband took to drugs in 1991 and she didn't have many options then to help him get rid of the habit.
Delhi engineer Aakash Sinha makes robots for the armed forces
A Delhi engineer has begun manufacturing robots and UAVs for the Indian armed forces. The Indian engineer, Aakash Sinha, is making possible a world where robots can give one company, serve water and guard skies.
Chennai: Engineer couple goes online to recycle waste
A software engineer couple in Chennai have been troubleshooting all 'trash' problems. Chennai grapples with over 3,200 tonnes of solid waste everyday and much of it is recyclable. This struck two young software engineers, Sujatha and Jegan, the couple who started Kuppathotti.com in November, 2011. Kuppathotti, when translated in Tamil means a 'trash can'. This eco-friendly initiative also helps some
This is how we do it, behind the scenes of India Positive
This is how we do it, behind the scene shooting an 'India Positive' promo. The lines were short so we could not really walk up Raisina Hill in Delhi....
A little ray of light in the dark saga of sanitation in India
53.1 per cent of Indians don't have toilets.It's not just data. It's a fact, a fact that threw me off when I was doing my research on...
India Positive: Finding ability in challenges
A 21-year-old from Allahabad, who lost her limbs in a horrific accident, is not letting that come in the way of her dreams of becoming a painter.If...







