In Shimla, four life convicts from a nearby sub-jail are running a cafe that is funded by the state’s tourism department. The prisoners have been trained by a renowned hotel to serve cookies and pizza they have baked, says Vishal Gulati

E D Baburaj, a 51-year-old physically challenged person with 40 per cent disability, is training hard to swim 25 km non-stop in Punnamada lake in a campaign against terrorism, says Sanu George

Acid attack survivor, Laxmi, displayed extraordinary courage to fight back and in filing a PIL against sale of acid. She now endorses a clothing brand "Viva & Diva", says Vivek Singh Chauhan

Makers of the women weavers of Dhaka fabric were forced out of work by the earthquake that shook Nepal in April. But now they are returning to work to keep a legacy alive, says Sahana Ghosh

Anjali Rajagopal helps people overcome trauma. As one who escaped the jaws of death to undergo painful surgeries and endure a long recovery process, she knows best. Kirthi Jayakumar reports

From child labour to motorcycle racing, S Sarath Kumar has come a long way. P C Vinoj Kumar meets the first Indian to have a podium finish at an international event and learns that he now enjoys the support of his namesake actor-politician

Cyclone Phailin might not have claimed many lives, but it has destroyed the livelihood of many families in Odisha and women survivors are struggling to rebuild their lives, says Sarada Lahangir

Grain and seed banks run by women, in Sunderbans, make the difference between starvation and food security for millions in one of the worst climate hotspots of the world, says Ajitha Menon

Born in a fisherman’s home, Sharada Devi could not study beyond class X. But her social activism and community work brought accolades and an award from a TV channel, says Pamela Philipose

The manner in which Alifia Tundawala has overcome her disabilities has inspired students and others in Kolkata’s Savitri College so much that they see the professor as a living testimony for the power of human spirit, says Kamalika Sengupta

Enabling children with cancer catch up with regular education, a municipal school in Mumbai has tied up with an NGO to start Canshala that has 80 kids on the rolls. Rahul Chhabra checks out

There are some women who don’t stop. Surprisingly, they carry on with what they are good at, be it social service or arts, well beyond the autumn of their life. Humra Quraishi finds out a few

Several disabled persons have realized their potential through a music, dance and theatre therapy offered by Syed Sallauddin Pasha. Sreeparna Chakrabarty spoke to the man and his wards, one of whom is a dancer, holding a world record

In Rajasthan, villagers are doing everything they could to create water sources to make life easier. Women have taken the lead to dig recharge wells and deepen waterbodies, says Renu Rakesh

A woman lighter of pyre is not a common thing in a tradition that does not even approve of women visiting a crematorium. That’s why Shanti Behera of Sambalpur stands out, says Sarada Lahangir