The Better India

From Bipolar Diagnosis To Bestselling Author — ‘I Do Not Consider Myself Unwell’

This article has been published in partnership with India Mental Health Alliance. Aparna Piramal Raje is a writer, columnist, bestselling author, and mother of two. She has also lived with bipolar disorder for over two decades. Here, she shares the seven 'therapies' — from her family's love to a sleep routine she calls 'religion' — that help her live a full, happy life. It is March 2013, and I am at a yoga ashram in Bihar for a weeklong retreat. And I am coming apart. I haven't slept more than

Sugarcane Waste Can Do More Than Make Paper: 4 Indian Ventures Turning It Into Useful Products

After sugarcane is crushed for its juice, a fibrous residue called bagasse is left behind. At sugar mills, heaps of this material can be seen awaiting their next use. While some bagasse is already used to generate energy or make paper, it also holds potential for products that can replace plastic — and even become a source of protein. Across India, entrepreneurs and young innovators are exploring these possibilities. From compostable plates and takeaway boxes to fermentation-based protein, here

Once Artists, Now Teachers Too: This Delhi Diwali Mela Will Put Neurodivergent Children in the Lead

At the heart of South Delhi, in a quaint park, as the sun begins to set and the winter breeze gradually sets in, three young neurodivergent artists, aged 14 and 17, will settle down with their canvases and paints. Their students? More than 50 people who have signed up to learn abstract art from them. For these young artists, the Diwali Art Mela is more than an opportunity to exhibit and sell their paintings. It is a chance to take on a different role — that of teachers and mentors — and have peo

A Vegetable Seller, a Single Mother and a Farm Boy: SBI Life’s ‘Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye’ Acknowledges the Aspirations of Para Athletes

This article has been published in partnership with SBI Life Insurance. SBI Life Insurance believes in liberating individuals to pursue their aspirations while taking care of their loved ones. This belief is reflected in its core brand philosophy, ‘Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye’. At Glasgow 2026, the journeys of India’s para-athletes brought this philosophy to life, showing how the support of family, coaches and those who stand beside us can make the difference between a dream and a medal. “When I had

Meet the Jury Recognizing India’s Changemakers | The Unstoppables Awards

Across India, people are finding solutions to challenges that affect us all from restoring water bodies, protecting the environment, strengthening communities and creating new opportunities. Their work deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Meet the jury members of the JK Lakshmi Cement The Unstoppable Awards, bringing together perspectives from environmental conservation, public service, justice, community development, media and industry to recognize changemakers across India. Because reco

In Pics | 5 New Flowering Plants, From the Western Ghats to the Northeast, Identified in India

Did You Know India Has Its Own 'Halloween' Nights — Where Lights, Masks & Myths Come Alive?

Halloween may be known for its pumpkins, costumes, and haunted tales — but India has long celebrated its own versions of mystery and magic. Across the country, lamps glow through the night, dancers take on the forms of spirits, and stories of the unseen are shared by firelight. From Bengal’s Bhoot Chaturdashi to Kerala’s Theyyam, every region adds its own rhythm to this timeless fascination with light and darkness. Some mark the changing season, others honour folklore, but all capture that sam

Before Pollution Spikes in Delhi, This Scientist Helps Give Officials 72 Hours to Prepare

This story is part of “India Invented This?” — The Better India’s weekly trivia series that uncovers the Indian minds, ideas and innovations behind inventions that have shaped the way we live. From ingenious solutions created by scientists and engineers to technologies developed in response to some of India’s biggest challenges, each story goes beyond the invention to explore the problem it solved, the impact it created and why it still matters today. On a winter morning in Delhi, the skyline ca

5 Terrace Garden Plants for Indian Cities Where Every Drop of Water Counts

He Saw Kids His Age Leave School for Work. 15 Years Later, He Is Supporting 90000 Children in 110+ Villages

“Education can become a burden when a family has limited resources.” For Paturi Namratha Siri, a student from Yernagudem village in Andhra Pradesh, there were times when continuing her education felt difficult. She did not always have the learning resources or support she needed after school. “Understanding some subjects was hard, and I needed additional guidance,” she explains. Her experience is familiar to Bethala Veera Swami, who is now 58 years old and grew up in the same village several dec

Expert Insights | When Every Classmate Seems Ahead: How Parents Can Help Teens Build Self-Worth

“How much did everyone else score?” For many teenagers, this question matters almost as much as their own marks. A friend has scored 95, a classmate is already preparing for the next entrance exam, and someone else seems to have everything figured out. Suddenly, their own result doesn't feel good enough. Even before the next exam begins, the pressure to keep up has already set in. What starts as a comparison of marks can soon become something more personal: Am I smart enough? Am I falling behind

Meet Naaz, the Dancer With Down Syndrome

They see Vikrant Massey’s niece. But her mother sees a dancer building her own identity, one beat at a time. :sparkles: Naaz has Down syndrome, but she refuses to let other people’s expectations define her story. Where others see limitations, she finds rhythm. Where doors remain closed, she keeps creating her own stage. Through dance, awards and every opportunity to perform, she continues to show the world what she is capable of. Naaz isn’t here to be known only as someone’s niece. She is here t

How a Dog's Sense of Smell Helped Forest Officials Catch Nearly 30 Rhino Poachers

Designer Tiles Made From Old Tyres? This Mumbai Architect Is Using Carbon Waste to Beautify Homes

On a polluted day, the air can look like a grey haze hanging over a city, obscuring buildings and making every breath feel heavier. But what if some of that pollution could be collected, transformed and given a new purpose — not as waste, but as a material used to build our homes and workplaces? Mumbai-based architect Tejas Sidnal is exploring precisely that possibility. Through his startup, Carbon Craft Design, he is turning recovered black carbon into architectural tiles, giving a second life