The Better India

Imagine giving up the comforts of the familiar to chase a dream against all odds. That’s exactly what Tara Prasad did when she switched her US citizenship in 2019 to skate for India! Since then, she has been on a record-breaking spree — winning three national championships (2022, 2023 & 2025) and making history as India’s first-ever senior international medalist in figure skating! But Tara’s journey wasn’t easy. It began at just seven years old in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she trained relentlessly, climbing the competitive U.S. skating ranks. Yet, her heart belonged to India. In 2020, she made her international debut for India at the Mentor Toruń Cup, and from that moment, she was unstoppable! Her defining moment? January 2024 — Tara skated her way into history at the Reykjavik International Games, winning the short program and clinching silver overall, marking India’s first-ever podium finish in senior international figure skating! With Tamil Nadu roots and a mother, Kavita Ramaswamy, who was once a national hurdles champion, grit and determination run in Tara’s blood. Now, with every spin, jump, and glide, she’s not just representing India — she’s rewriting history! #TaraPrasad #FigureSkating #India #BreakingBarriers #NationalChampion #WomenInSports

A foot disability means that Shakti Kumari (35) cannot move around much. She and her husband live in a one-room rented home in Nirala Nagar, Khojanpur, Ayodhya. While the money he earns through odd jobs is enough to pay the rent, Shakti finds it inadequate to match the rising prices of groceries. She believes that she can earn money by starting a pickle business in her home kitchen. "That way, I won’t have to walk a lot, and I can put my cooking skills to good use.” She plans to use the investment amount to purchase a machine to cut the mangoes for the pickle and the chips. Join us as we give her and 9 other women everything they need to start a simple business that will help them reclaim their agency. Donate now : https://lnkd.in/dCyn53Ve Donatekart #FinancialFreedom #WomenEntrepreneurs #EmpoweringWomen #RuralIndia #SupportSmallBusiness #WomenInBusiness

Did you know? 🤯In the 1970s, exploding cookers were a real danger! But one Indian innovator changed that with a simple yet genius fix. Now, his brand is probably in your kitchen! TTK Prestige Ltd #InnovationForSafety #Prestige #MadeInIndia #GameChanger #KitchenSafety #PressureCooker #IITMadras #SmartDesign

India has seen many firsts for women.

"Even my friends refused to believe me when I said I was training for Everest." But that didn’t stop Vasanthi Cheruveettil, a 59-year-old tailor from Kerala, from embarking on a solo trek to Everest Base Camp (5,364m)—with no formal training! With sheer determination, she relied entirely on YouTube tutorials to learn trekking basics, fitness routines, and even Hindi to communicate along the way. For four months, she trained rigorously—walking three hours every morning, practicing in trekking boots, and going on 5-6 km evening walks with friends. With no professional guide, only a porter by her side, she braved treacherous trails—steep ascents, narrow paths, deep gorges, and freezing cold. Walking 6-7 hours daily, she paused every few steps to catch her breath and adapt to the altitude. Funding her adventure wasn’t easy. She saved from her tailoring earnings, while her children pitched in when needed. Before leaving, she handed over her gold ornaments to her sons, asking them to pawn them in case of an emergency. On February 23, 2024, she made it! Draped in a kasavu saree over her trekking suit, she proudly waved the Indian flag at Everest Base Camp—a moment that will be etched in history! But she’s not stopping here! Next up: The Great Wall of China! #EverestBaseCamp #WomenWhoInspire #KasavuSaree #Trailblazer #SoloTraveller #Kerala

In a historic and compassionate move, the Sree Kumaramangalam Subramanyaswamy Temple in Kumarakom, Kerala, has ended its 120-year-old tradition of parading elephants during its annual festival. Instead, a beautifully decorated chariot will now lead the procession, honouring tradition while prioritising compassion and safety. But that’s not all! The funds previously allocated for bringing elephants will now be used to build homes for the homeless in the local community. This decision reflects a growing awareness of animal welfare and a commitment to addressing pressing social issues. By choosing to prevent cruelty to elephants and mitigate the risks associated with using captive elephants in festivals, the temple sets a commendable example for others to follow. A beautiful example of tradition evolving for the better! What do you think of this initiative? Tell us in the comments! #KeralaTemple #CompassionInAction #AnimalWelfare #InspiringChange #PositiveNews

In a heart-stopping moment, two Uttarakhand policemen, ASI Manoj Sharma and Head Constable Kripa Ram, showed what true duty and humanity look like. A young MA student, reportedly struggling with mental stress, jumped into the Ganganahar Canal in Roorkee. As the waters threatened to pull her under, bystanders raised the alarm. Without hesitation, the two officers sprinted along the canal, leaped in, and pulled her out—risking their own lives in the process. Thanks to their quick thinking, she was revived with emergency care before being rushed to the hospital. The Uttarakhand Police shared a video of the rescue, earning widespread appreciation from locals and netizens alike. This isn’t just policing — it’s humanity in uniform. Credits : Uttarakhand Police on X #UttarakhandPolice #RealLifeHeroes #HumanityFirst #PoliceBravery #ActsOfKindness #Uttarakhand

India’s triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy last week has been celebrated in countless ways across the country, but India Post has added a historic touch with a special gesture! To honour Team India’s incredible win, a distinctive postal cancellation mark has been released—a unique tribute to the spirit of cricket and national pride. This cancellation mark not only celebrates the Indian cricket team’s sporting excellence but also serves as a collector’s item for cricket fans and philatelists alike. Unveiled at Mumbai’s General Post Office (GPO) by Amitabh Singh, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, this special cancellation is now available to the public. Would you love to own this piece of history? Tell us in the comments below! #ChampionsTrophy #TeamIndia #Cricket #IndiaPost #CricketHistory #StampCollection

What began as an eight-day mission turned into a ten-month odyssey aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner, Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore faced unexpected setbacks when their spacecraft suffered thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, forcing them to extend their stay. As NASA deemed their return journey unsafe, Williams was promoted to ISS Commander, taking charge of station operations, crew safety, and well-being. Alongside Barry Wilmore and Nick Hague, Williams contributed to 900+ hours of research, working on 150+ experiments, including: > Physiological Studies – Conducting tests on her own body to understand the effects of long-term space exposure. > Agricultural Experiments – Cultivating romaine lettuce in microgravity as part of the Plant Habitat-07 project, aiming to revolutionise farming for deep-space missions and water-scarce regions on Earth. > Water Recovery System Research – Under the Water Recovery Series (PBRE-WRS), she installed hardware to study how gravity affects water purification, enhancing spacecraft designs. > Breaking Spacewalk Records – On January 30, 2025, Williams and Wilmore conducted a 62-hour spacewalk, setting a new record for the most time spent on spacewalks by a female astronaut. As the historic wait nears its end, NASA has confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will return aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission on 16 March. When she touches down, she will become the first astronaut to fly on four different space capsules — Space Shuttle, Soyuz, Boeing Starliner, and SpaceX Crew Dragon. From growing food in space to making history, Sunita Williams proves that no challenge is too big! #SunitaWilliams #WomenInSTEM #NASA #ISS #Spacewalk #MicrogravityFarming

History celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s defiant fistful of salt at Dandi, but the true revolution was carried forward by women—quietly, relentlessly, and fearlessly. As Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay wrote in Indian Women’s Battle for Freedom, salt was “the most intimate and indispensable ingredient” in their kitchens, making the Salt Satyagraha a natural battleground for women’s resistance. Though excluded from the 240-mile march, Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Avantikabai Gokhale, and countless others defied convention—gathering brine, building makeshift stoves, and braving brutal police batons, all while chanting "Namak kaida toda hai!" From Chowpatty and Juhu, where housewives and activists collected seawater, to Wadala, where women scaled barbed wire to seize salt, their defiance was met with arrests and violence. Yet, they stood unshaken. Gandhi may have sparked the movement, but women kept its fire burning. Their fight wasn’t just about salt—it was about dismantling oppression, reclaiming power, and rewriting history on their own terms. #DandiMarch #SaltSatyagraha #womeninhistory #indiahistory #freedomfighters