'Profound loss for our nation': PM Modi condoles death of Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International

Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International, a pioneer in building community toilets in war against open defecation, died on Tuesday due to cardiac arrest. He was 80

Pathak died at AIIMS, New Delhi.

As per AIIMS official spokesperson, Pathak had developed pain in his chest and was brought to the emergency unit of the hospital when he suffered a cardiac arrest around 1.30 pm.

Condoling Pathak’s demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The passing away of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Ji is a profound loss for our nation. He was a visionary who worked extensively for societal progress and empowering the downtrodden.

“Bindeshwar Ji made it his mission to build a cleaner India. He provided monumental support to the Swachh Bharat Mission. During our various conversations, his passion towards Swachhata was always visible,” PM Modi said.

The passing away of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Ji is a profound loss for our nation. He was a visionary who worked extensively for societal progress and empowering the downtrodden.

Bindeshwar Ji made it his mission to build a cleaner India. He provided monumental support to the… pic.twitter.com/z93aqoqXrc

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2023

According to reports, Pathak, who campaigned extensively to alleviate the plight of manual scavengers, hoisted the national flag in the morning on the occasion of Independence Day 2023 and collapsed soon after that.

Sulabh International, an Indian-based social service organisation that works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, waste management and reforms through education, has constructed more than 1.3 million household toilets and around 54 million government toilets using cheap, two-pit technology.

Apart from construction of toilets, the organisation has led a movement to discourage manual cleaning of human waste.

Pathak was born in Rampur Baghel village of district Vaishali, Bihar to a Brahmin family. His mother was Yogmaya Devi and his father was Ramakant Pathak – a respected member of the community.

After completing his academics, Pathak worked as a teacher for sometime before joining the Gandhi Centenary Committee in Patna as a volunteer. This was, however, not his original plan. He wanted to pursue masters in criminology from Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh. While travelling to Sagar, he was advised by two gentlemen to join the Gandhi Centenary Committee – they said he would be paid well. Since he needed money, Pathak was convinced. But when he approached the committee, he got to know that there was no job. Also, by then he had missed the deadline for admission at Sagar, so he had decided to stay on and work as a volunteer.

With inputs from agencies