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toILEtS ConStRuCtED
l Till September 2017: 178,593
arduous journey ahead,” he says.
Siddhartha’s journey as a prerak began on l Till April 2018: 276,626
October 2, 2017, wherein he had the occasion
to hear an address by Narendra Modi, the
Indian Prime Minister, at Delhi. “I realised the An uPHILL tASK
enormity of the challenge and the criticality of However, the path to success was thorny and
our role for the campaign’s success,” he says. Siddhartha had to fight on multiple fronts.
On reaching UP, Siddhartha chose He had to manoeuvre through bureaucratic
Raebareli, which was considered a difficult factional feuds, fight corrupt and unscrupulous
posting. A VIP parliamentary constituency, elements and even stick his neck out for his
apprehensions of political opposition and comrades to ensure they got their dues.
interference were high among the bureaucrats “I firmly believe that success is achievable
leading the mission. only through team effort and towards that
Challenges make life interesting and I strived to build camaraderie and personal
overcoming them is what makes it meaningful. connect with my colleagues.” And Siddhartha’s
Driven by this personal credo, Siddhartha team paid him back by contributing with all
decided to make Raebareli his battleground. their might and passion. For instance, two block
coordinators worked without pay for months
RISIng to tHE CHALLEngE to ensure the campaign remained on track. The
Nothing could have been more challenging trend of publishing SBM slogans on wedding
for a prerak. The district has 18 blocks and cards, a rage in Raebareli now, also started
none had even crossed the half-way mark to during Siddhartha’s time.
becoming ODF. After a seven-month stint in Raebareli,
The semi-urban district is largely Siddhartha was moved to the state level to
conservative where talking about defecation coordinate the work of other preraks. He also
was taboo and discussing hygiene issues oversees the information, communication and
especially of women could invite physical education initiatives, community-led total
reprisals. To make matters worse, the public sanitation measures and even SBM’s social
had strong political affiliations which often media strategy.
prejudiced their views.
The experience of the corporate world tAStIng SuCCESS
came in handy. Siddhartha had to don Working with bureaucrats has instilled a
multiple hats — from HR, to administration, higher degree of respect for them. “It’s very
to operations, to finance — to jumpstart the easy to criticise the government or political
campaign. Be it field visits to understand functionaries and accuse them of incompetence.
the ground situation or personally leading After working with them, I now know that our
campaigns to create awareness, vigils to perception about them is often wrong,” he said.
stop open defecation or even building Working with the SBM programme and
toilets, Siddhartha remained at the front and leading it in Raebareli also helped Siddhartha
consequently won the trust and respect of take some important decisions about his future
his comrades. “I covered all 18 blocks of the and the direction he wants to take. “Going back
district during my tenure and even spent to the corporate world is ruled out. I want to
Saturdays and Sundays in the villages,” he says. work among the community.” ˜

TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative 11