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Shivani Gupta

Shivani Gupta

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How a Blacksmith’s Son Became an IAS Officer at 22 and Secured AIR 30

A promise made to his father, a blacksmith, drove Smit Panchal to become an IAS officer at just 22. After two attempts, financial struggles, and...

previous day 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Life After Clearing UPSC: 5 Civil Servants Solving India’s Toughest Local Challenges

From reviving forgotten rivers to launching space science education in rural areas, rethinking waste management, and pioneering water conservation...

sunday 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

300 Women, 3000 Homes: Meet The Solar Sisters Bringing Light to Rural India

From soldering and wiring to battery setup, fault-finding, and installation, over 300 women in remote rural areas have become skilled solar engineers...

25.04.2025 30

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Scientists Turn Fruit Seeds into Packaging That Vanishes in 60 Days

Researchers at NIT Rourkela, led by Dr Preetam Sarkar, are transforming agricultural waste like jackfruit, jamun, and litchi seeds into biodegradable...

24.04.2025 4

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Abandoned For Not Producing Milk, 2500+ Starving Bulls Have Been Given a Home By This Man

Abandoned for not producing milk, thousands of bulls were left to suffer on the streets. In Bikaner, Vighanesh Ojha stepped away from his corporate...

23.04.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Abandoned For Not Producing Milk, 2500+ Starving Bulls Have Been Given a Home By This Man

Abandoned for not producing milk, thousands of bulls were left to suffer on the streets. In Bikaner, Vighnesh Ojha stepped away from his corporate...

22.04.2025 3

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

5 Years Without a Dustbin: How One Mumbai Family Made Sustainability Simple

At Sonika Bhasin’s Mumbai home, sustainability is second nature. From composting kitchen scraps and switching to bioenzymes to cutting out...

21.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Didn’t Clear UPSC — But Found Something Greater: 2 Stories That Will Change How You See Success

Overcoming UPSC setbacks, Veda Gogineni and Kajal Srivastava redefined their paths by embracing entrepreneurship. Veda’s Earthful flourished on...

20.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This MP District Rewards Families with Daughters, Thanks To One IAS Officer’s Vision

To address Harda district’s skewed sex ratio and promote gender equality, IAS officer Aditya Singh launched the Rewa Shakti Abhiyan. Through Kirti...

20.04.2025 6

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

10 Tips for Storing Fruit & Vegetable Seeds This Summer for a Lush Winter Garden

For the past 14 years, Anupama Desai has been growing seasonal vegetables and collecting seeds of the produce grown at home. She shares 10 easy tips...

19.04.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Affordable Solar Rooftop Solutions for All Indians: What Entrepreneurs Think Needs to Change

Indian startups are transforming energy access with affordable solar tech solutions like trees, tiles, and off-grid setups. Startup founders propose...

17.04.2025 30

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Meet The ‘Pied Piper’ Fighting To Save One of Delhi’s Last Remaining Green Lungs

Sunil Harsana, known as the ‘Pied Piper of Mangar Bani’, leads initiatives in the Aravali hills to instill environmental appreciation in children....

16.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

10 Women Spoke Up About Gendered Trauma — Their Strength Sparked Support for 70000 More

Founded by Mathangi Swaminathan in 2021, Parity Lab turns personal trauma into collective strength — empowering survivors of gendered violence to...

11.04.2025 3

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Father-Daughter Duo Turn Farmland into a Sustainable Dream with BaapBeti Farms

Sneha Rajguru left her film career behind to pursue farming. Alongside her father, Anil, she transformed barren land near Pune into ‘BaapBeti...

10.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Taking Electricity, Wherever They Go: Engineer’s Portable Solar Units Power Huts of Tribal Migrants in Maharashtra

Tanveer Inamdar's Mission Urja has transformed tribal villages in Maharashtra, bringing electricity through innovative portable solar and...

09.04.2025 5

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This IAS Officer’s Mission in Odisha Helped 470 Women Clean Up 360 Tonnes of Plastic — and Earn From It

Led by IAS officer Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, the Aama Sundargarh Swachh Sundargarh initiative has transformed rural waste management in Odisha. Engaging...

08.04.2025 8

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Double Your Harvest, Halve Your Water Use: Why Urban Farmers Love Aquaponics & How You Can Start

What if your home-grown vegetables could thrive without soil—and your fish could help feed them? With aquaponics, a beautiful balance of fish and...

06.04.2025 4

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

‘I Eat What I Harvest’: 68-YO Ex-Banker Grows 200+ Organic Veggies & Fruits on His Terrace

In Hyderabad, Ashok Rao transformed his 2,000-square-foot rooftop into a lush garden amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 200 plants, including...

04.04.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

With a Saree & Solar Power, He’s Bringing Safe Drinking Water To 400+ Children In Rural Schools

Dr Anil Rajvanshi’s solar-powered water purification initiative in Phaltan, Maharashtra, transforms rural schools by providing clean drinking water...

03.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Despite the Judgment, This Mom Focuses on the ‘Small Wins’ in Raising Her Autistic Son

Journalist Mugdha Kalra shares her journey of raising her autistic son, Madhav — marked by patience, acceptance, and celebrating everyday victories....

02.04.2025 6

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Meet the Engineer Who Grew Kashmiri Saffron in Kerala & Earned Rs 12 Lakh in a Year

Seshadri successfully cultivated Kashmiri saffron in Kerala using aeroponic farming. Within a year, he earned Rs 12 lakh and has already trained 100...

01.04.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How AI, Sensors & Robots Are Helping Farmers Save Water, Boost Yields & Reduce Costs

Explore five groundbreaking agri-tech innovations that are cutting input costs, optimising resource use, and boosting productivity — empowering...

28.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Shaping the Future of Work: How One Initiative is Transforming Job Seekers Into Job Creators

Development Alternatives is reshaping rural India by turning job seekers into job creators. It has enabled 15,000 enterprises, powering local...

27.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How a Former Corporate Employee Helped 30000 Farmers Earn 4X With Exotic Vegetable Farming

Suhas Bali transitioned from a corporate career to exotic vegetable farming in Vidarbha. Despite lacking formal agricultural training, he adopted...

27.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Her Father Was Ashamed — Now This Odisha Artist’s Handicrafts Are Selling Worldwide!

Raised in a conservative family, Sudharani Marndi broke the mould to pursue art over a conventional career. From a small-time creator to an...

26.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This Ex-IRS Officer’s Water Solution Transformed 204 Drought-Hit Maharashtra Villages

In Maharashtra’s parched landscapes, former IRS officer Ujjwal Kumar Chavan initiated a transformative water conservation project. Inspired to...

22.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

No Engineers, No Big Budgets — How One Meghalaya Teacher Solved Her Village’s Water Crisis

In the lush landscapes of Meghalaya, rural women endured arduous daily treks to fetch water, navigating challenging terrains while balancing heavy...

21.03.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Turmeric, Aloe Vera & More: How These Farmers Doubled Their Income Through Horticulture

Adopting horticulture can offer farmers sustainable advantages, with these crops generally yielding higher profits and longer-term returns than...

21.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This Ex-IRS Officer’s Water Solution Transformed 204 Drought-Hit Maharashtra Villages

In Maharashtra’s parched landscapes, former IRS officer Ujjwa Kumar Chavan initiated a transformative water conservation project. Inspired to combat...

20.03.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Haryana Teacher Runs Multi-Lakh Mushroom Biz Alongside Govt Job to Empower Rural Women

In 2020, assistant professor Sonia Dahiya built a thriving mushroom farming business, ‘Doctor Dahiya Mushroom Farm’. Combining her biotechnology...

19.03.2025 30

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Woman Turns 500 Tonnes of Waste From Mumbai Societies Into Compost For Free

What if your trash didn’t just disappear but turned into something valuable? Mana Shah, founder of Green Practices, helps Mumbai households and...

18.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How To Prepare for Geography Optional? IRMS Officer Shares 6 Ultimate Tips

Choosing the right optional subject for the UPSC exam is crucial, as it contributes 500 marks to the total 1750 in the Mains. Excelling in this area...

12.03.2025 5

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Jodhpur MBA’s Millet Creations Turn Into a Multi-Crore Bakery, Winning PM’s Praise

Jodhpur’s Amit Soni, tasked by PUSA to create millet-based confectioneries, crafted an innovative chocolate truffle cake using pearl millet. To his...

10.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How Varanasi’s ‘10-Point Strategy’ Helped Reduce Malnutrition in 24000 Kids in the Last 3 Years

In Varanasi, the efforts of IAS officers S Rajalingam and Himanshu Nagpal to combat malnutrition have transformed thousands of lives — renovating...

10.03.2025 8

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This Mom Fought Humiliation & Paralysis To Build a Multi-Lakh Millet Food Biz

Poonam Sharma transformed adversity into triumph after her husband’s job loss led to her children being expelled from school. Starting with...

08.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Called ‘Crazy’, This Retired Professor Chose to Build a Forest Rather Than a College on a Barren Hill

In 2019, a devastating fire destroyed 1,000 trees in Dr Shankar Lal Garg’s forest, built on barren land. Despite the setback, his resilience turned...

07.03.2025 9

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This High-Demand Crop Is Helping Farmers Earn Up to Rs 800/Kg

While drumstick farming is often unprofitable, cultivating moringa leaves is lucrative, thanks to global demand. Farmers like Sarla Mann and Dr...

07.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How a Childhood Love for Aquatic Life Led to a Rs 100 Crore Shrimp Farming Success in Gujarat

Inspired by childhood interests in aquatic life, Surat-based Dr Manoj Sharma transformed the barren lands of Gujarat into thriving shrimp farms....

06.03.2025 8

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How a Mother’s Love for Her Son Sparked a Spinach Startup Worth Lakhs

Driven by her son’s health struggles, P Lakshmi Priya created spinach-rich recipes that transformed her kitchen experiments into Thinasari Keerai, a...

05.03.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Thanks To This IFS Officer’s Amazing Efforts, Satpura Reserve Doubled Its Tiger Population

L Krishnamoorthy’s passion for nature led him from childhood explorations to becoming a dedicated IFS officer committed to conservation. His...

04.03.2025 6

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

6 Proven Steps to Start A Vermicompost Business & Earn Lakhs Like These Farmers

From bed preparation, moisture control, and quality assurance, successful farmers share insights on turning vermicompost into a profitable and...

03.03.2025 6

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

This IAS Officer Turned Discarded Clothes at Varanasi Ghats into 1 Lakh Eco-friendly Bags

In Varanasi, IAS officer Akshat Verma turned discarded clothes from Ganga ghats into a sustainable solution. Teaming up with Hope Welfare Foundation,...

01.03.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How She Balanced Marriage, a Full-Time Job & UPSC Studies to Become an IAS Officer

Kajal Jawla, while working a full-time corporate job and managing a new marriage, achieved her dream of becoming an IAS officer. Her journey of...

28.02.2025 50

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

A Tigress in Need Inspired This Surgeon Couple to Save India’s Wildlife with Solar Power

Dr Sarita and PV Subramanian, dental surgeons turned wildlife advocates, were moved to action when they saw a tigress struggling for water in Kanha...

26.02.2025 4

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

‘I Read NCERTs 40 Times’: IRS Officer Reveals the 1st Step to Cracking the UPSC Exam

Parth Chavda overcame personal and academic challenges to clear the UPSC exam in 2023. Emphasising the importance of NCERT books in building a strong...

26.02.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

IT Engineer Starts Kurta Business With Just Rs 7000, Now Earns Lakhs From Handcrafted Suits

What began with just Rs 7,000 and a dream of affordable, handcrafted luxury has turned into a thriving brand. Kurta Ghar celebrates the beauty of...

26.02.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

IAS Officer Shares Strategy for Last 3 Months Before UPSC CSE Prelims

In 2018, Saurabh Bhawania secured AIR 113 in UPSC while managing a full-time job and fatherhood. With three months to UPSC Prelims, he shares expert...

24.02.2025 20

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

How a YouTube Typo Led This Rajasthan Bookseller to Rs 15 Lakh Pearl Farming Success

An accidental YouTube discovery steered Narendra Kumar Girwa towards freshwater pearl farming. Despite financial hardships and challenging climate...

21.02.2025 8

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

Want to Start Beekeeping? Profitable Farmers Share Step-By-Step Guide for Beginners

Beekeeping offers a sustainable, profitable alternative for farmers and urbanites alike. With just a one-time investment, it enriches biodiversity and...

20.02.2025 4

The Better India

Shivani Gupta

‘Ranks Don’t Matter, Effort Does’: A JEE Topper’s Mom Shares Her Parenting Secret

Sai Manogna Guthikonda, a 17-year-old JEE Main topper, achieved a 100 percentile, backed by her family’s unwavering support and guidance. Her...

19.02.2025 10

The Better India

Shivani Gupta