Bengaluru doctor-turned-activist goes viral for anti-litter campaign, wins praise from Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Dr. Shanti Tummala emphasizes sustainability and personal responsibility in waste management, urging citizens to take charge of their waste.

Bengaluru is witnessing a unique citizen-led push for cleanliness, thanks to Dr. Shanti Tummala, a former dentist turned environmentalist.

In the video, Dr. Tummala can be seen instructing BMTC bus passengers not to throw tickets or litter.(X/@Mahaveer_VJ)

Responding to a viral video on X, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw praised her efforts, calling her “more educated than our rich literati,” highlighting the impact of citizen activism on social media.

In the video, Dr. Tummala can be seen instructing BMTC bus passengers not to throw tickets or litter such as chocolate wrappers and pan parag packets outside the windows. She first addresses the commuters in Kannada and then repeats the message in Hindi, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility for one’s waste.

Watch the viral video here:

Responding to Shaw, Dr. Tummala said, “Thank you, Madam. A doctor by profession felt sustainability is most important. Prevention is better than cure. If environment and soil are healthy, then alone humans can survive. Thank you for sharing it. I have a lot of ideas, enthusiasm, and passion to bring change.”

Her X profile bio reflects her commitment to waste management: “Think about waste full time, how to reduce it, recycle it. When people think waste is not my responsibility, I say, ‘My waste is My responsibility.’”

Reactions on social media

The initiative has garnered praise from multiple quarters. Popular author and doctor Nandita Iyer commented, “Loved this video, and how she’s making an effort to say the same thing in Hindi. This kind of awareness should go viral.”

Others highlighted the potential nationwide impact of her work. Social media users suggested, “Corporates should also sponsor such volunteers who spread awareness among citizens about Swachhta Abhiyaan. If we can have only 1,000 such people influencing one person daily, it will create a great impact nationwide.”

"To thank this lady for her efforts to spread awareness. If we can have only 1000 such people and daily they influence genuinely one person per day, it will have a great impact nationwide, write another user.