“He could not even swim”: Indian student cleans a river turned into a dump

For months, 21-year-old student Surendra Singh Chaudhary entered a river filled with rubbish almost every day, driven by a single goal: to clean it. He had no government funding, no specialized equipment and, remarkably, did not even know how to swim.

Known on social media as “Bittu Tabahi,” Chaudhary began cleaning the Ajnar River in January in Madhya Pradesh, central India. He used his hands to remove plastic, bottles, algae and other waste, trying to return the river to a cleaner condition.

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Every time I went to the temple or passed by the river, I thought that I should clean it.

A few friends joined him at first, but most gradually stopped. Chaudhary continued alone. A student at the university in the small town of Biaora, he lives with his parents and initially told them he was going out to play cricket or meet friends. In reality, he was heading to the river to collect rubbish.

The river passes near a temple he often visited, and its condition stayed with him. “Every time I went to the temple or passed by the river, I thought that I should clean it,” he said.

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I wanted to make a machine to clean the river, but I had no money. I am a student. So I thought I would clean as much as I could with my own hands.

He continued for months in all weather, including hot summer nights. Without safety equipment, he entered polluted water despite not knowing how to swim. “I wanted to make a machine to clean the river, but I had no money. I am a student. So I thought I would clean as much as I could with my own hands,” he said.

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If the desire for likes can be turned into a force for good, I have no problem with it.

The work came at a cost. Chaudhary developed infections, and the skin on his hands and feet began to peel. He and friends raised money for equipment, while he estimates that he spent about 30,000 rupees, or roughly 230 euros, on the effort. He also placed rubbish bins around the river without government funding.

Before-and-after images spread widely online, taking his story across India. Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra shared a video of the cleanup on X after some people accused Chaudhary of seeking publicity. “If the desire for likes can be turned into a force for good, I have no problem with it,” Mahindra wrote. Former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen also shared images of the river before and after the intervention, calling it a heroic effort deserving international recognition.

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A heroic effort. It deserves international recognition.