BL Changemakers 2019: Award Winners

Updated - March 15, 2019 at 06:35 PM.

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In a historic verdict in September 2018, the Supreme Court repealed Section 377 of the IPC, thus quashing a law dating to the colonial era that had cruelly meted out injustice to members of the LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and Intersex) community on the basis of their sexual orientation. This landmark victory, followed from the efforts of a group of LGBTQI petitioners who fought for years to overturn the Victorian-era law even as they endured social discrimination.

Photo: Changemaker of the year - Petitioners against Section 377

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As an example of the perfect coming together of cooperative federalism and an uncomplicated tax regime, the GST Council played a stellar role in uniting multiple State governments with varying political obligations under a ‘one nation, one tax’ system called the Goods and Services Tax. The most remarkable aspect of the functioning of the Council is that it has never had to vote to resolve differences.

Photo: Changemaker of the year - GST Council

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Being part of the manual scavengers (safai Karmachari) community did not deter the 52-year old Bezwada Wilson who is one of the founders of National convenor of Safai Karmachari Andoloan (SKA), which campaigns for total eradication of the inhuman and indignified practice of manual scavenging imposed on the community.

Photo: Iconic Changemaker - Bezwada Wilson

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Started by Achyuta Samanta in 1993 to usher in a social change in the Maoist and Naxal affected hinterlands of Odisha, and to mentor young indigenous peoples. As the world’s largest school for tribal children, KISS provides quality education — fully residential and free — to over 25,000 students without compromising on their cultural roots and heritage, and placing social responsibility over commercial gains.

Photo: Social Transformation - The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences

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Disentangling farmers from the clutches of middlemen, the Electronic National Agriculture Market, an e-commerce platform, enables them to sell their produce directly in the market at fair prices. Today, 585 mandis across 16 States and two Union Territories have enrolled into eNAM, trading over 40.8 lakh tonnes of produce on the platform.

Photo: Digital Transformation - eNAM

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Using education as a tool to improve the social mobility of underprivileged children, 16-year-old Anju is a torchbearer of sorts who convinced and even confronted parents to send their children to school and give them the chance to get educated. She personally rescued 46 children working as labourers and ensured that they were enrolled in the school.

Photo: Young Changemaker - Anju Verma

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Bridging the opportunity gap between urban and rural football talent, the Pandey brothers Kush (17) and Arjun (15) developed ScoutMe, an app that serves as a football scouting platform to spot raw talent across the country. With 28,000 players and 3,000 registered scouts on the platform already, ScoutMe is recognised as the official app of the All India Football Federation.

Photo: Young Changemaker - Kush and Arjun Pandey

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Published on July 1, 2025 13:46