Bindeshwar Pathak, Toilet Man of India, Early Life, Contributions

Bindeshwar Pathak, also known as Toilet man of India, pioneered the low cost sanitation in India. He dedicated his life to eradicating manual scavenging and spreading awareness on sanitation.

Bindeshwar Pathak Early Life

Bindeshwar Pathak was born in a Brahmin family in Rampur Baghel village of district Vaishali, Bihar. After completing schooling at his village, he graduated in Sociology from BN College, Patna.

He joined Gandhi Centenary Committee in Patna as a volunteer which sent him to work for restoration of human rights and dignity of people from Dalit community in Bihar’s Bettiah. From there, he resolved to start a mission to eradicate manual scavenging and open defecation.

Bindeshwar Pathak Contribution and Achievements

Bindeshwar Pathak was a social reformer who dedicated his life for the eradication of manual scavenging, promotion of sanitation, and restoration of dignity to marginalized communities, especially sanitation workers, through social awareness, technological innovation, and grassroots reform.

Low Cost Public Sanitation 

• He founded Sulabh International, an India-based social service organisation which works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, and waste management in India. 
• Sulabh International developed the two-pit pour-flush toilet, a sustainable and low-cost technology that replaced dry latrines and eliminated the need for manual cleaning of human excreta.
• Sulabh international started the concept of pay-to-use public toilets in India at a very low cost and installed more than 1.3 million toilets in households and 10,000 public toilets in India.

Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers 

• He advocated for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers by providing skill development, alternative livelihoods, and restoring social dignity.
• He also worked for the temple entry of manual scavengers. In 1988, Pathak led a group of manual scavengers to the Nathdwara temples along with a group of Brahmins to perform rites and rituals. 

Women Empowerment 

• Promoted gender safety and health by providing safe sanitation access to women reducing the prevalence of diarrhoeal and sanitation-related diseases.
• Provided safe shelter, free food, healthcare, vocational training and a dignified living environment for destitute widows.

Bindeshwar Pathak earned both national and international recognition for his work : 

• In 1991, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his work on liberating and rehabilitating manual scavengers.
• In 1992, he received the International St Francis Prize for Environment the following year.
• In 2009, he won the Stockholm Water Prize, conferred by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
• In 2016, Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize for its contribution to the government’s flagship Swachh Bharat mission.

‹ ›