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When dedicAtion beAts
experience
What Namrata Tomar lacked in experience, she made up for with
her passion and dedication in pursuing the Swachh Bharat Mission’s
objectives in Saharanpur
I was
overwhelmed
by the applause
and appreciation
I received from
senior officials for
my efforts.”
Namrata Tomar,
prerak, Saharanpur,
Uttar Pradesh
W ith a bachelor’s degree in social understand the connection between good
sciences and a master’s in sustainable sanitation and good health. Before that, she
livelihood and governance from the Tata had to convince the district administration that
Institute of Social Sciences, Namrata Tomar she could do the job. At 23, she was considered
felt she was ready to venture forth as a prerak too young and inexperienced to stand the
under the Zila Swachh Bharat Prerak (ZSBP) grind. However, once she began conducting
programme. She was deployed to Saharanpur regular trainings of the swachhagrahis, masons
in April 2017. and women’s self-help groups (SHGs), her
Saharanpur is one of the more prosperous colleagues began to take her seriously.
regions in Uttar Pradesh. Fertile lands, With their whole-hearted support,
abundant water, and a thriving wood export Namrata and her Swachh Bharat Mission
industry have all contributed to the affluence of (SBM) team chose students to deliver their
farmers and factory owners in the area. Despite message. The students were initially taught
this, there was a singular lack of awareness about the importance of good sanitation
about sanitation and personal hygiene. practices and the positive effects on their
Namrata’s first task was to make people health. The added motivation was the applause
6 TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative