Rajesh Bojan

Indian sanitation worker who transformed waste-pickers into formal laborers through grassroots organizing

Rajesh Bojan emerged as a visionary leader in India's informal sanitation sector after beginning his career as a manual scavenger at age 12. Witnessing the dehumanizing conditions faced by 1.6 million waste-pickers, he co-founded the Swachh Activists Network in 1998. His innovative 'Waste to Wealth' program trained marginalized workers to operate modern recycling facilities, securing government contracts that provided dignified wages and safety equipment. By 2005, his initiatives had converted 15,000 informal laborers into formal employees across 8 states. His advocacy led to amendments in India's 2013 Solid Waste Management Rules, mandating 5% of municipal budgets for informal sector integration. His work is documented in the award-winning film 'The Scavengers' Dream' (2016), and his TED Talk here has over 2 million views. He received the National Award for Social Justice in 2017 and his methods are now replicated in Southeast Asian cities. His autobiography 'Cleaning India, Cleansing Minds' (2019) details his journey from scavenger to social entrepreneur.