21-year-old Madhya Pradesh BSc student cleans trash-filled river by hand. Before and after photos show stunning transformation

For months, a young student in Madhya Pradesh has been stepping into a polluted river and removing plastic, weeds and other waste with his own hands. Now, his before-and-after photographs have gone viral, drawing attention from people across India and even the state government. Surendra Singh Choudhary, a 21-year-old BSc student from Biaora, Madhya Pradesh, began cleaning the Ajnar River on January 26. He is now widely known online as “Bittu Tabahi.”

BSc student from Madhya Pradesh cleans river with Rs 30,000 and no machinery

Choudhary did not begin with a large clean-up team or government funding. According to The Times of India, he started the work with about Rs 30,000 of his own money and basic tools. He entered sections of the river himself and removed plastic bottles, weeds, algae and other waste. The work was not without risks. Reports said he worked without professional safety equipment and faced health problems during the long clean-up.

Also Read: 5 Students from West Bengal developed an AI tool to detect early signs of oral cancer using just a smartphone


Speaking to The Times of India, Choudhary explained why he continued despite the difficulties. “My sole objective is to keep my hometown clean,” he said. He also said he planned to take his work to other public places.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Surendra singh choudhry (@bittu_tabahi)

Before-and-after photos caught people's attention

Choudhary began posting photographs and videos of the river's condition on social media. The images showed a major difference between sections covered in waste and the areas he had cleaned. The posts quickly attracted attention, with people praising the student for taking action instead of waiting for someone else to begin.

Also Read: Ohio-based company transforms old wind turbine blades into beautiful, sustainable benches, tables and other public-space furniture

The Indian Express reported that some people initially mocked him and called him “crazy”. But he continued with the clean-up despite the criticism. His story eventually reached Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who met Choudhary in Bhopal earlier this month.

Government steps in after his solo effort

Choudhary's efforts have now received support from the Biaora Municipal Council. According to reports, the council has provided machines to help remove accumulated waste from the river. Municipal engineer Rupesh Kumar Netam also confirmed that the photographs and videos shared by Choudhary were genuine and had not been created or altered using AI. The council has also proposed a sewage treatment plant to prevent wastewater from entering the river. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav praised the young man's efforts after meeting him. In a post following their meeting, Yadav wrote that Choudhary had shown that “no large crowd is needed - just one sincere initiative is enough” to bring change.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Surendra singh choudhry (@bittu_tabahi)

His mission is now moving beyond Madhya Pradesh

The Ajnar River clean-up has become only the beginning for Choudhary. The Times of India reported that he has started taking his cleanliness campaign beyond Madhya Pradesh. He recently joined an environmental clean-up drive at Turahalli Forest in Bengaluru, working alongside environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy and other volunteers.

Also Read: Big Brother UK 2026: From 18-year-old Charlotte to Tays. Meet all 16 contestants entering season 23

His journey also highlights a larger problem. Cleaning one stretch of a river can remove existing waste, but keeping it clean requires better waste disposal and sewage management. Still, Choudhary's work has shown what one determined person can achieve. What began on a public holiday with Rs 30,000 and a decision to clean his local river has now become a much wider environmental campaign. The Ajnar River may still face pollution challenges, but its dramatic before-and-after images have achieved something important: they have made people look at a neglected river and ask what they can do to change it.