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doing it right

Creative thinking and persistent efforts has been the cornerstone of
Shahbaz Ahmed Ghosi’s crusade to make Amethi open defecation free

p erseverance, it is said, makes the work there. “The experience gave me huge
difference between failure and
satisfaction and bolstered my confidence
success. Oodles of determination, because despite my handicaps, I could compete
a propensity for creative solutions and and succeed,” says the 27-year-old reminiscing.
leadership mettle have enabled Shahbaz, The urge to persevere against odds and
a prerak with the Swachh Bharat Mission excel has been the leitmotif of Shahbaz’s life.
(SBM), to underwrite change in Amethi It found full play when the 27-year-old was
district of Uttar Pradesh (UP). assigned the district of Amethi in August 2017.
Born and raised in Sultanpur, Shahbaz
had the option to join a bank as a probationary A RELUCTANT CRUSADER
officer. Instead, he chose to pursue masters in Shahbaz was initially reluctant to join the
social work from the Tata Institute of Social SBM. “I was working with the Indian Political
Sciences (2015). Though the decision created Action Committee (IPAC), the leading political
consternation in his family, Shahbaz stood advocacy group in India. The pay was good
firm. He excelled not only in his studies but he and I was enjoying the work. As I was involved
also went on a student exchange programme with the Uttarakhand election campaign, I
to Utah University and won praise for his failed to appear for the interview,” he says.

8 TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative