Who was Bindeshwar Pathak? Man behind 'Sulabh', India’s toilet-building revolution, dies at 80
Bindeshwar Pathak died Tuesday at the age of 80
India’s acclaimed social activist and Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak passed away on Tuesday (August 15) at the age of 80. He was earlier rushed to Delhi’s AIIMS hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest at around 1:30 PM.
Pathak was best known for his extensive campaign towards improving the condition of manual scavengers in India.
His Sulabh organisation built nearly 1.3 million toilets in Indian households, along with 54 million government toilets using cheap two-pit technology.
His organisation not only just builttoilets but also discouraged manual cleaning of human waste across India.
The early life of Bindeshwar Pathak
Born in Rampur Baghel village in Bihar’s Vaishali district, Pathak completed his Sociology graduation in 1964 from Banaras Hindu University.
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He completed his master's degree in 1980 and his PhD in 1985 from the University of Patna.
He founded Sulabh International Social Service in 1970, with the goal of addressing India's sanitation issues.
In 1991,Pathak received the Padma Bhushan for his efforts in liberating and rehabilitating manual scavengers, as well as implementing pour-flush toilet technology to combat environmental pollution, according to Sulabh's website.
April 14: Bindeshwar Pathak Day
In a rare tribute in 2016, New York City designated April 14 as 'Bindeshwar Pathak Day,' recognising the significant contributions of the Indian social worker, who improved the lives of those trapped in the most dehumanising conditions.
In November 2016, the Indian Railways partnered with Sulabh International and appointed Bindeshwar Pathak as the brand ambassador of the Swachh Rail Mission, intensifying efforts to maintain cleanliness on railway premises.
Manual scavenging in India
Despite several legislative efforts to eradicate the long-standing practice of manual scavenging in India, many scavengers are still exploited through subcontractors.
Watch:What's new in toilet tech?
Referredto as "manual scavengers," these individuals engage in the undignified practice of collecting waste with their bare hands and no protective gear, a situation that Bindeshwar Pathak has aptly termed as "demeaning."
According to India’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, only 508 out of 766 districts in the country have been declared manual-scavenging-free.
This has raised concerns regarding the true extent of anti-manual scavenging efforts in India and the effectiveness of governmental efforts.
(With inputs from agencies)
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