What’s Good, India? | From AI-Powered Conservation to Seaweed Replacing Plastic Packaging
The Better India
World’s largest positive stories, solutions based impact media platform @ www.thebetterindia.com
What if technology could save elephants, the ocean could combat plastic pollution, and a teenager could shape the future with words?
From an IFS officer using AI to prevent human-elephant conflicts to a 16-year-old sparking creativity in underprivileged children, this edition is a testament to how determination and ingenuity can drive meaningful change.
This Week’s Spotlight: Top 3 Stories of the Week
1. This Chhattisgarh IFS Officer Is Using AI To Prevent Human-Elephant Conflicts
The first time Varun Jain stood beside a lifeless villager, something shifted within him. The grief was suffocating, the silence heavier than the forests of Chhattisgarh.
In April 2022, an elephant’s unexpected detour left a village unprepared—three lives lost in 24 hours. “It was my first time witnessing a human fatality,” Varun recalls. “That moment changed everything.”
As an IFS officer, he had spent years in wildlife conservation, but this tragedy laid bare a grim truth—human-elephant conflicts destroy homes and lives.
Villagers, unaccustomed to elephants migrating from Odisha, relied on the Munaadi alert system—where a village messenger beat drums—but one missed warning cost lives.
Determined to do better, Varun launched a tracking application in February 2023. Forest officers documented sightings, sharing real-time updates via WhatsApp and SMS. A collaboration with Kalpvaig Technologies led to the AI-driven Chhattisgarh Elephant Tracking and Alert System by June 2023.
The results were staggering! 22 months without a single human fatality. By mapping movements, officials identified migration corridors and planted food sources to deter elephants from villages.
Encouraged by the impact of the AI system, Varun is now guiding officials in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand to adopt similar models.?
With a cost of just Rs 1.5 lakh per year per forest division, it’s a scalable, life-saving solution.
His next mission is to develop vibration sensors to detect elephant movements before they reach human settlements, ensuring coexistence through innovation and conservation.
2. These Startups Are Using the Ocean’s Secret Weapon to Create Sustainable Packaging
As the world drowns in plastic waste, innovators are diving deep for solutions—literally. Enter seaweed, a marine plant that could revolutionise packaging.
Biodegradable, renewable, and abundant, seaweed-based packaging breaks down in weeks, unlike plastic, which lingers for centuries. With India’s vast coastline, seaweed farming is a sustainable lifeline for coastal communities.
Now, Indian startups are tapping into this oceanic goldmine to create packaging that’s eco-friendly and effective.
?? Three Startups Making Waves
With rising awareness and policy support, seaweed packaging is set to make a splash. Could this be the tide that turns the fight against plastic pollution?
3. How a 16-Year-Old Is Empowering Underprivileged Children Through Storytelling and Creative Writing
The laughter of children mixes with the scratch of pencils. Under the shade of towering trees, young minds from underprivileged backgrounds unleash their imagination—some discovering the magic of storytelling for the first time.
At the heart of this gathering is 16-year-old Vidhi Golchha, a student from The International School Bangalore (TISB) and the founder of CleverBox.
Vidhi’s love for writing started young, but a course at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) shaped her vision. Winning third place for her idea of a creative writing kit, she realised she could turn her passion into impact.
CleverBox, based on the classic Freytag’s Pyramid, simplifies storytelling through flashcards, worksheets, and clay models. Collaborating with NGOs like Global Concerns India, Vidhi works with children from LR Nagar slums.
Initially, Vidhi taught in a dimly lit community hall but soon moved workshops to Cubbon Park, giving kids new experiences. Students who once hesitated now confidently craft stories filled with imagination and literary devices.
Priced at Rs 699, a portion of the sales funds 100 underprivileged students, making creativity accessible.
Vidhi is now translating CleverBox into Kannada and aims to introduce it in government schools. She is also compiling the children's stories into a book called Write it Out, ensuring their voices are heard.
“In every child’s imagination lies a world of infinite possibilities,” says Vidhi. “All they need is someone to believe in them.”
Week in a Wink: What Made News On Social Media
“What would a woman do in forensics?” they asked.
Break barriers. Solve mysteries. Change the game. She answered—with action.
When Rukmani Krishnamurthy stepped into the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Bombay in 1974, doubt followed her every move. But she let her work speak louder than words.
In 1993, when 12 deadly bomb blasts rocked Mumbai on Black Friday, she led the explosives department, working relentlessly for three months. Her team’s groundbreaking findings earned global recognition, even from Interpol.
She’s been the invisible force behind India’s biggest cases—the 7/11 train blasts, the Telgi stamp scam, the Dr. Mahajan murder, the Nagpur Naxalite case—bringing scientific precision to justice.
From dismantling defense arguments with irrefutable forensic evidence to leading India's top forensic institutions, she shattered ceilings, becoming India’s first woman forensic scientist.
At the Boston University Terrier DMR Challenge 2025, Gulveer Singh did the unthinkable—shattering records with a mind-blowing 12:59.77 in the 5000m!
He’s now the first Indian and the first Asian to break the legendary 13-minute barrier!
To put that into perspective, his time was faster than the gold-medal run at the Paris 2024 Olympics!
This Army man from India has rewritten history, smashing the Asian indoor record (13:08.41), and sealing his spot at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo!
From running through village fields to conquering the global stage, Gulveer’s journey is pure grit, fire, and unstoppable determination.
For 17 years, Savita Punia stood in silence, helmet on, gloves up, letting her saves do the talking.
But on her 300th international match—a milestone achieved by only one other Indian woman—she allowed herself a rare moment of emotion. As the national anthem played, she wiped away a tear, then did what she does best: stood tall for India.
Hailing from Sirsa, Haryana, Savita’s journey has been anything but easy. From a 20-year-old debutant in 2011 to leading India on the grandest stage, she has fought every battle—stranded at bus stops with her kit, written off after Rio 2016, doubted at every turn.
At Tokyo 2020, she scripted history with a legendary performance against Australia. Even after the heartbreak of missing Paris 2024, she chose resilience over retirement, mentoring the next generation while proving she’s far from done.
"Every match in the Indian jersey is an honour. I will keep giving my best," she says.
??Inspiration In Motion: Watch This!
Amidst Bengaluru’s urban sprawl, Sumesh and Meethu Nayak have carved out a green paradise—turning their 1,500 sq ft home into a thriving mini jungle.
With over 2,000 plants, 45+ bird species, and 30+ butterflies, their chemical-free, solar-powered oasis is a testament to what’s possible with passion and purpose. From mangoes to dragon fruit, they grow abundantly—sharing their harvest with family, friends, and even the birds.
Their journey has already inspired thousands online. Will yours be next?
?? Quote of the Week
"You can move forward only by keeping your head down, respecting the game and respecting the opportunity." – Virat Kohli
Photo of the Week
Help a Changemaker: With #GiftProtection, Save a Dog From Road Accidents
Every year, thousands of stray dogs and cattle fall victim to road accidents in India. But a small act of kindness can save lives!
With this campaign, The Better India, in collaboration with Rimjhim Joshi Shende’s Pawsitivity, is working to protect 5,000+ stray dogs with QR-enabled reflective collars—reducing accidents and helping lost dogs reunite with their caretakers.
For just ?40, you can ensure a stray dog gets a reflective collar, offering them safety, visibility, and a chance at a better life!
?? What’s Happening – Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Date: Until March 16, 2026
Location: Kochi
Heading to Kerala this year? Don’t miss the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale—India’s largest art exhibition and Asia’s biggest contemporary art festival.
Curated by Nikhil Chopra and HH Art Spaces, this year’s edition features 60 artists from India and beyond, showcasing paintings, photography, sculptures, and performances around identity, politics, history, and the body.
A must-visit for art lovers and explorers alike!
?? Weekend Cheer List
Women in the Wild: Stories of India’s Most Brilliant Women Wildlife Biologists
With World Wildlife Day and Women's Day around the corner, there’s no better time to celebrate Women in the Wild by Anita Mani—a book that smashes stereotypes and shines a light on India’s trailblazing female wildlife biologists.
From tracking big cats to studying elusive amphibians, this collection captures the stories of fearless women who have redefined what it means to work in the wild.
The book not only chronicles their struggles—facing sexism, safety risks, and societal expectations—but also their triumphs, proving that passion and perseverance can rewrite the rules.
More than an ode to these pioneers, Women in the Wild is a call for a more inclusive scientific world—one where gender is no barrier to discovery.
Zero Se Restart
When 12th Fail struck a chord with audiences, it proved that real, underdog stories could thrive in cinemas. Zero Se Restart takes a deep dive into its making, offering an unfiltered look at the challenges, improvisations, and triumphs behind a film that defied box office expectations.
Directed and narrated by editor Jaskunwar Kohli, the documentary captures the raw essence of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s creative process and the team’s relentless perseverance.
It highlights on-set improvisations—transforming an abandoned Agra train terminal into Gwalior Railway Station and managing unexpected fan mobs in Mukherjee Nagar.
A key revelation is Chopra’s willingness to embrace uncertainty, openly admitting he was learning along the way. His bold choice to cast Vikrant Massey over a mainstream star like Varun Dhawan proved a masterstroke.
More than just a behind-the-scenes look, Zero Se Restart offers invaluable lessons in persistence, adaptability, and storytelling that resonates.
---
That's a wrap for this week! Until next time, stay curious, stay bold, and never stop believing in the power of change.