People First

'At Just Rs. 5, He Offers A Fresh & Good Quality Meal | Anoop Khanna | People First'

'Anoop Khanna, a Businessman and Social activist from Noida has been providing healthy, desi ghee dipped meals to the needy at only Rs 5, since 2015. His rationale behind charging a token amount of ₹5, is that people can buy food with dignity, instead of feeling like they are being given any charity.' Read more

'School Drop-Out Idol Maker Who Is Shaping his Children's Future | Sarvan Murtikar | People First'

'Meet Sarvan, hailing from Jodhpur, Rajasthan followed the footsteps of his father to become a murti maker. He dropped out from school in class 3, as he had to fend for his family. Back in the day, the trade paid well but with acute competition and the ever-increasing inflation, it has taken a huge hit now. Father to 4 boys and 1 girl, he wants to give his children the education that he couldn’t get, but his income can barely afford two square meals a day. Earlier, he could afford to save some of his income, but due to inflation, it’s almost impossible now.' Read more

'With A Paper & Pencil He Bonds With Total Strangers'

'In a world where everything has become digitised, t's always refreshing to hear about an organic and authentic connection being made between strangers in real life. Hailing from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, this sketch artist has been making sketches for the past 25-30 years of his life. Meet Rajesh Yadav. Rajesh charges 300 rupees for a live sketch which takes approximately 15 minutes, but his takeaway is the joy he sees on his subject’s face when he or she sees the portrait. He also set a world record by painting a 9 x 6 feet painting of Bhagat Singh with blood as a medium, for which he was felicitated by Bhagat Singh’s nephew.' Read more

'Redefining The Term 'Nightclub Guard', She's Breaking The Patriarchal Perception | Jennifer'

'There are iconic places, and then there are places like Trincas, in Kolkata, which are literally cultural guideposts of India. From the 1960s to today, Trincas has been nothing short of a microcosm of Kolkata. The club that helped Usha Uthup shun stereotypes in the world of nightclub singing, and today another lady just outside of Trincas is doing just that by being the nightclub guard! Meet 41 years old Jennifer who has been working at ‘Trincas’ for almost two years now. Though she had never visited the place prior to her appointment as a guard, she feels extremely safe and welcomed at this nostalgic and iconic venue, primarily because of how polite everyone around her is!' Read more

'From Prodigy Violinist To Quartet Matriarch | Dr. N Rajam | People First'

'At 85+, Dr. N Rajam is one of the most popular Hindustani violinists today. She started her musical career as a child prodigy and has played the violin for almost 80 years. Rajam is also a noted scholar and has been serving the cause of music education at the Banaras Hindu University for four decades, since her early twenties. She has also taught violin to her daughters and granddaughters, eventually forming a quartet among themselves.' Read more

'Overcoming Personal Loss, He Is Now A Lifesaving Hero | Afroz Ansari | People First'

'Afroz Ansari’s story is haunting, in how he traversed through utmost tragedy from a very young age. His mother passed away when he was barely eight years old, and he was left behind with an ailing father, which prevented him from going to school. Since around that time, he became a diver in the Yamuna River. There, he saves people who are stuck in a floodlike situation or are those who attempt suicide. From a place of absolute heartbreak to today as he works to ensure that no one else loses a loved one' Read more

'From Calcutta To Kolkata, His 43-Year Legacy At The Bengal Club | Mohammad Riyazuddin | People First'

'Md. Riyazuddin has been working at the Bengal Club for more than 40 years now. The Bengal Club in Kolkata, is the oldest social club in India and was considered the ‘unofficial headquarters of the British Raj’ when Calcutta was the capital of British India. Four generations of his family have been serving the club, which started with his grand-father, followed by his father. His eldest son has carried the baton forward. He has literally seen ‘Calcutta’ change to ‘Kolkata’. When he started working in 1983, the city was fairly simple: Park Street was not as crowded as it is today, and work for the country’s first metro network was still in progress.' Read more

'A Living Statue And His Unbelievable Act'

'Meet Rajnesh Singh - Delhi’s very own ‘Living Statue’ or ‘Real Goldy Statue Artist’ who can be seen in the popular Connaught Place, entertaining or amusing people by pretending to be a statue. Born in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajnesh always wanted to be an actor, and though he couldn’t get a break through his auditions in Mumbai, the city introduced him to this art form. Having had to get into this line of work out of necessity, his sole desire remains to become a small-time actor. Rajnesh, who earns somewhere between 300-500 a day, is slowly gaining popularity on through his own YouTube channel!' Read more

'The Highest Is Not High Enough For This Indian Army Officer | Lt Genl Sanjay Kulkarni | People First'

'He made history by being the first officer to land on the almost insurmountable Siachen Glacier to officially mark the beginning of the Indian control of the glacier. Meet General Sanjay Kulkarni. On April 13, 1984 "Operation Meghdoot”, one of the most challenging operations in the history of the world, was launched with an aim to deny Pakistan aggressors to take control of the Saltoro Ridge in the Siachen Glacier.' Read more

'Ain't No Mountain High Enough | Meet Charu Khurana Whose Legal Fight Through a Sexist Rule'

'For 15 agonising years, Charu Khurana could not officially do makeup for any Indian film, commercial, or television, thanks to a sexist rule that barred women from becoming members of the Cine Costume and Make-Up Artists and Hair Dresser Association and, thus, working legally in those professions. After more than a century of the Bollywood film industry's existence, she broke through that glass ceiling when the union agreed to give her membership. But this came only after the Supreme Court stepped in twice.' Read more

'A Dying Profession, The Last Man Standing, And His Hopes and Dreams | People First | Mohammad Rafiq'

'In the sweltering heat of Delhi, Mohammad Rafiq, a Bhishti, or ‘Mashak wala’, provides water to people and keeps the surroundings cool by sprinkling water. They do so by carrying a mashak which is a bag made of goat-skin, which helps keep the water cold. Rafiq was ‘almost’ born into this profession, as his ancestors were all ‘mashak walas’. His father was too poor to provide him with an education, but he would earn enough to make ends meet. It is a dying profession and he is certain that it’s the last generation involved in this profession. He hopes one of his children joins the army, later on in life.' Read more