A 20-year-old student, aka Bittu Tabahi, from Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district has become an unlikely environmental hero after spending months cleaning the heavily polluted Ajnar River largely by himself.
Known on social media as “Bittu Tabahi,” Surendra Singh Choudhary began removing plastic, bottles, algae and other waste from the river after seeing the condition of the waterway near his hometown of Biaora. His before-and-after videos have now gone viral across social media.
But behind the viral videos is a much bigger story about pollution, civic responsibility and what happens when ordinary citizens stop waiting for someone else to act.
Who Is Bittu Tabahi?
Surendra Singh Choudhary is a BSc student from Biaora in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district. He reportedly began his cleanup mission on January 26, 2026, initially working with some friends. However, as the scale of the pollution became apparent, others eventually stopped participating
Bittu continued. Using basic tools and his own physical effort, he began pulling garbage and other waste out of the river and cleaning the surrounding areas. Reports say he has also spent around ₹30,000 of his own money on the effort.
From “Crazy” to Viral Hero
At the beginning, Bittu’s decision to enter the polluted river attracted mockery, with some people reportedly calling him “crazy.”
But he kept going. His social media posts showing the before-and-after transformation of the river eventually caught public attention. What started as one student’s personal mission turned into a viral environmental story.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra praised his work, while other prominent personalities have also expressed admiration for his determination. The campaign has now even received international attention.
Dutch Environmentalist Offers Him an Opportunity
The story took another remarkable turn when Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of the Netherlands-based The Ocean Cleanup, noticed Bittu’s work. Slat invited Bittu to work with his organisation, giving the young environmentalist international recognition for his grassroots effort.
The Ocean Cleanup focuses on removing plastic pollution from oceans and rivers, making the connection particularly significant.
The Bigger Question: Why Did Bittu Have to Do It?
Bittu Tabahi’s story is inspiring — but it also raises an uncomfortable question. Why did a college student have to enter a polluted river and manually remove its garbage?
His work has brought renewed attention to the condition of local waterways and the responsibilities of municipalities and citizens. Bittu himself has said that he wanted people to understand that rivers should not be treated as dumping grounds. His efforts have also reportedly encouraged some people to litter less around the river.
ALSO READ: Zomato Bans Analogue Paneer, Cheese Issues Strong Guidelines To Restaurants
From One Student to a Symbol
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also met Bittu and praised his initiative, calling his determination an example of how meaningful change can begin with one person’s effort. Bittu’s story has therefore moved beyond a simple viral video.
It is now a story about youth, environmental responsibility and civic action. A young man saw a river drowning in garbage. Instead of scrolling past it, he stepped into the water. And that may be the most powerful part of the Bittu Tabahi story.
