In a world where environmental commitment often fades behind convenience, 75-year-old N.S. Rajappan from Kottayam, Kerala, stands as a towering example of what one determined individual can achieve. For nearly ten years, Rajappan has been cleaning the vast Vembanad Lake, Kerala’s longest and largest lake, collecting plastic waste one day at a time — all despite being unable to walk.
Rajappan’s journey is one of quiet courage. A battle with polio at age five left both his legs paralysed below the knee, making movement on land impossible. But where many would have surrendered to circumstance, Rajappan found purpose. Using only his hands for mobility and a rented wooden boat steered with a single oar, he ventures daily into the lake he grew up beside — a lake he refuses to watch “die under plastic.”
For every kilogram of plastic he retrieves, he earns ₹12, barely enough to sustain a living. Yet, to Rajappan, the true reward lies in knowing the water is cleaner than it was yesterday. “I may not earn much, but the lake stays clean — that makes me happy,” he says with characteristic humility.
Rajappan lives in a modest home near his sister, who cooks for him but leaves the rest of his life in his own hands — because he insists on independence. Even in 2018, when devastating floods destroyed his house entirely, he asked no one for help and lived for weeks on his boat, refusing to abandon either his dignity or his mission.
His story eventually captured national attention, inspiring countless Indians. Actor Randeep Hooda, deeply moved by Rajappan’s dedication, wrote:
“How does one show love for one’s country? Perhaps like this. True patriotism is seen in action, not just words or social media posts. Salute to Rajappan Ji.”
Today, Rajappan is more than a local hero — he is a reminder that patriotism is not always loud or glamorous. Often, it is a man in a small boat, picking plastic from a lake because he believes his land deserves better.
