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Public toilets pioneer and Sulabh founder, Bindeshwar Pathak, passes away in Delhi
Pathak spent a lifetime promoting sanitation and hygiene. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 1991
Social worker Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International and a pioneer in building public toilets, died after suffering a cardiac arrest at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, Delhi on Tuesday. He was 80.
Pathak was at the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Sulabh International campus on Palam-Dabri Road at around 11am, when he complained of uneasiness.
His condition deteriorated after 12.30pm and he was rushed to AIIMS.
“The hospital declared him dead at 1.42pm, citing cardiac arrest,” said social scientist Ramchandra Jha, a close aide of Pathak. Sulabh International will keep his remains at its main campus on Wednesday for people to pay their respects, Jha added.
Pathak spent a lifetime promoting sanitation and hygiene. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 1991. In 2009, he received the Stockholm Water Prize. A graduate in sociology in 1964 from Banaras Hindu University, Pathak earned his PhD from the University of Patna in 1985.
In 1970, he founded Sulabh International, a non-profit organisation that has carried out extensive work on the conversion of dry latrines into modern toilets in over 17,00 towns, and has helped building over 160,835 toilets.
The organisation, which has around 50,000 volunteers, also introduced the concept of maintenance and construction of pay-and-use public toilets, popularly known as Sulabh complexes.
The death of Pathak was a “profound loss” for the nation, 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,” Modi said.
“During our various conversations, his passion towards Swachhata (cleanliness) was always visible,” the Prime Minister said. “His work will continue to inspire several people. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
In a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), President Droupadi Murmu said: “The news of the demise of Mr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, is very sad. Shri Pathak had taken a revolutionary initiative in the field of cleanliness. He was honoured with many awards including Padma Bhushan. I express my condolences to his family and members of Sulabh International.”
