Bittu Tabahi is 20 years old and still can’t swim.
That didn’t stop him from entering the Ajnar River in Biaora, India, on January 26, while the rest of the country celebrated Republic Day. The water was covered with plastic, algae, and trash that had accumulated over the years. He had no gloves, boots, or any equipment. He only had the idea that someone had to start.
At first, friends accompanied him. One by one, they fell behind, and Bittu continued alone, week after week, removing waste with his bare hands until he developed skin infections. With the money he raised with his teammates—about 350 dollars—he bought tools and containers, and even learned to turn the remains of religious offerings into compost so the river wouldn’t become polluted again. At 20, when many are just beginning to decide what they want to do with their lives, he had already decided to give his town something clean in return.