Dutch ocean-cleanup founder invites Indian river-cleaner to join his NGO
Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup, offered a job to 20-year-old Surendra Singh Choudhary, who has been clearing the polluted Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, 20-year-old Surendra Singh Choudhary, dubbed Bittu Tabahi, has been independently cleaning the heavily polluted Ajnar River, posting before-and-after footage on Instagram. A social-media post highlighting his work reached Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of the Netherlands-based NGO The Ocean Cleanup, who responded with a concise invitation: “Come work for us.” The reply generated a wave of supportive reactions online.
Choudhary’s grassroots effort, which began in January and reportedly cost about ₹30,000, also attracted attention from industrialist Anand Mahindra, who defended the young activist against skeptics. The Ocean Cleanup aims to eliminate most floating plastic from oceans and rivers by 2040, and the offer could expand its river-cleaning initiatives.
Why it matters
A viral grassroots cleanup effort leads to a potential partnership with a global anti-plastic NGO, highlighting youth activism and international collaboration.
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