Rajesh Jha

Indian social entrepreneur who transformed India's sanitation sector through worker empowerment

Rajesh Jha (b.1972) is the founder of Safai Sena (Cleaning Army), a revolutionary cooperative that empowers India's waste pickers and sanitation workers. Starting in 2000 in Mumbai, Jha's organization has registered over 50,000 informal workers, providing them formal employment contracts, healthcare benefits, and skill development programs. His initiative pioneered the 'door-to-door waste collection' model adopted by 12 Indian cities. Jha's work was featured in the documentary 'Cleaners of Mumbai' (2015), which highlighted the dignity of waste management labor. He collaborated with UN Habitat to create the 'Solid Waste Management Policy' framework now used in 8 states. His book 'Waste to Wealth: Transforming India's Sanitation Crisis' (2018) outlines scalable solutions for urban waste challenges. Jha's model inspired similar cooperatives in Bangladesh and Kenya, impacting over 200,000 workers globally. His 2021 TED Talk 'Sanitation as a Human Right' has been translated into 15 languages.