Bindeshwar Pathak joined the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee. He experienced first-hand the discrimination and stigma faced by the community of people known as untouchables. To redeem them of their inhuman occupation of cleaning dry latrines, toilet technology was required. Dr Pathak goes on to invent low cost sanitation technology.
The Timeline
In its 50 years of public service, under the leadership of Bindeshwar Pathak, Sulabh emerged -by far- the world’s largest sanitation movement. Discover the extraordinary journey of grit, toil and perseverance.
- 1968
An innovation designed to alleviate human suffering
- Bindeshwar Pathak joined the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee. He experienced first-hand the discrimination and stigma faced by the community of people known as untouchables. To redeem them of their inhuman occupation of cleaning dry latrines, toilet technology was required. Dr Pathak goes on to invent low cost sanitation technology.
- 1970
Birth of Sulabh Sanitation Movement
- 1973
Demo toilets revealed
- 1974
Sulabh inaugurates Public Toilets
- 1978
Spotlight falls on Sulabh in a historic seminar on sanitation
- Government of India conveyed a national seminar in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO in Patna on conversion of bucket latrines into sanitary water seal latrine. It was in this seminar Sulabh technology was hailed. It was further decided that the issues of sanitation, manual cleaning of toilets and personal hygiene must be given priority in the national development plans.
- 1980
Sulabh gets international limelight
- 1983
First visit by a US Ambassador to Sulabh Campus in Patna
- 1984
Sulabh earns its first national recognition
- 1984
Innovation of Bio gas linked public toilets
- 1985
Skill development initiative for manual scavengers
- Sulabh started rehabilitation programme for children of manual scavengers in by training them to develop skills like shorthand, typing, motor driving, mechanics etc. It was done with the support of the Government. The programme was a huge success and was extended across the country. The programme was later expanded to include regular education and technical training.
- 1985
The Washington Post calls Sulabh movement a 'mini revolution'
- Sulabh’s work gets featured in The Washington Post calls Sulabh the most successful voluntary scavenger emancipation enterprise.
- 1988
Sulabh leads the way to break social barriers for emancipation
- 1989
Temples for all
- Soon after, Dr. Pathak launched a campaign to help the Scheduled Castes offer prayers in temples and perform puja at their homes by Vedic Brahmins.
- 1990
Mainstreaming of Manual Scavengers
- For the mainstreaming of manual scavengers and to do away with the practice of untouchability, Sulabh urged people of reputation to help - and even - adopt a family that worked as manual scavengers. Consequently, almost 5,000 scavenger families were adopted by high-status people, including judges, advocates, journalists, ministers.
- 1991
Recognised with India’s third highest civilian award
- In 1991, Dr. Pathak was awarded Padama Bhushan by the President of India, Mr. R. Venkataraman, for his “distinguished social service.”
- 1991
J.R.D Tata calls Sulabh public toilet “as an icon of Mumbai's civic infrastructure”
- In 1991, Dr. Pathak was awarded Padama Bhushan by the President of India, Mr. R. Venkataraman, for his “distinguished social service.”
- 1992
Launches awareness campaign on liberation of manual scavengers
- 1992
Sulabh champions education for all
- 1992
Blessed by the Pope
- His Holiness Pope John Paul-II gave audience to Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak before awarding him with International Saint Francis Prize.
- 1992
Sulabh opens a Museum of Toilets
- The first of its kind in the world, the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets was set up in New Delhi. The curation of this unique museum is such that it narrates the story of toilet evolution through artefacts, pictures, posters and other available materials. The museum is hugely popular and has been profiled by the likes The Time Magazine and the Discovery Channel. Thousands visit the museum every year.
- 1993
A personal message from UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros Ghali
- 1996
The Duckweed Project
- 1996
Sulabh International was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations
- Sulabh International was granted the Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. In the same year Sulabh technology is recognised as the Global Urban Best Practice by the United Nation Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) at Istanbul
- 1996
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the architect of India’s historic economic reforms awarded the "Honest Man of the Year" Award by Sulabh International
- Sulabh International was granted the Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. In the same year Sulabh technology is recognised as the Global Urban Best Practice by the United Nation Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) at Istanbul
- 1998
Sulabh honours India’s prime minister Atal B. Vajpayee with the "Honest Man of the Year" award
- 2001
A gendered approach to WASH
- 2002
Sulabh Effluent Treatment (SET) Technology
- Sulabh developed a new and convenient technology to make biogas plant effluents free from colour, odour and pathogen-free. The technology known as SET (Sulabh Effluent Treatment) lowers BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of effluent to less than 10 mg/l, making it suitable for agriculture, aquaculture or safe discharge into a river or any water body or cleaning of floors of public toilets.
2003
Transforming the lives of manual scavengers
2003
UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award bestowed
- Hon’ble Mrs. Anna K. Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-Habitat presenting the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour 2003 Award to Dr. Pathak.
2003
UNDP recognizes Sulabh technologies in its Human Development Report
2003
Sulabh receives the UNEP Global 500 Scroll of Honour Award
2004
UN team visits Sulabh
- Members of The U.N. Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation Visit Sulabh Campus.
2005
Sulabh biogas linked toilets inaugurated in Kabul, Afghanistan
- Sulabh activities find mention in President APJ Abdul Kalam’s book ‘Mission India – A Vision for Indian Youth 2006’.
- 2005
Stanford University includes article on Sulabh – ‘That Gandhi may not be born again’ – in its curriculum.
- 2005
Five public toilets with biogas plants were set up in Kabul, Afghanistan, with the financial support of the Government of India.
2005
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visits Sulabh Campus in 2005 and again in 2015
- Sulabh activities find mention in President APJ Abdul Kalam’s book ‘Mission India – A Vision for Indian Youth 2006’.
- 2005
Stanford University includes article on Sulabh – ‘That Gandhi may not be born again’ – in its curriculum.
- 2005
Five public toilets with biogas plants were set up in Kabul, Afghanistan, with the financial support of the Government of India.
2006
UNDP recognises Sulabh for the second time
2007
Sulabh hosts World Toilet Summit
2008
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations honours liberated manual scavengers
2009
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak wins the Stockholm Water Prize
- Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak wins the Stockholm Water Prize conferred by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
- 2009
Prime Minister of Sweden Mr. John Fredrik Reinfeldt, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Filippa Reinfeldt, visited its Sulabh campus.
2009
Sweden’s Prime Minister becomes the first head of state to visit Sulabh Campus
2010
Timothy J. Roemer becomes the second US Ambassador to visit Sulabh campus
2010
Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium, visits the Sulabh Campus
2012
Sulabh steps in to provide care for the widows of Vrindavan
2013
National Conference on the Sociology of Sanitation
- In a National Conference on the Sociology of Sanitation, organized by Sulabh International Centre for Action Sociology Dr. Pathak said “Sociology of sanitation is a scientific study to solve the problems of society in relation to sanitation, social deprivation, water, public health, hygiene, ecology, environment, poverty, gender equality, welfare of children and empowering people for sustainable development and attainment of philosophical and spiritual knowledge to lead a happy life and to make a difference in the lives of others.”
2015
Sulabh launches Purified Drinking Water
- Sulabh International Academy of Environmental Sanitation & Public Health in collaboration with 1001 Fontaines , France undertook project on water supply to the rural community affected by arsenic groundwater contamination in four blocks of West Bengal. The initiatives in West Bengal have been designed with a view to build drinking water production sites in order to guarantee water quality at the point of use instead of focusing only on water source.
2015
World’s largest public toilet opens
- Sulabh inaugurated the world’s largest toilet complex in Pandharpur Maharashtra is with 2858 toilet seats. It has bathing and locker facilities are used by four thousand people every day. Additionally, 36 public toilets have been constructed. These toilets are monitored round the clock and are disabled friendly.
2015
Sulabh Founder named in the Economist Global Diversity List
- Sulabh founder, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was named amongst the top 50 icons recognised in ‘The Global Diversity List’ by The Economist. The list included names like the US President Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates.
2015
Richard Rahul Verma becomes the third US Ambassador to visit Sulabh Campus
- Sulabh founder, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was named amongst the top 50 icons recognised in ‘The Global Diversity List’ by The Economist. The list included names like the US President Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates.
2016
Dr. Pathak received the WHO Public Health Champion Award in New Delhi
- Dr. Pathak received the WHO Public Health Champion Award in New Delhi
2016
Mayor of New York dedicates April 14 , 2016 as "Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Day"
- Mayor of New York City, Hon’ble Mr. Bill de Blasio honoured Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the Proclamation and declared April 14, 2016 as “Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Day”.
2018
Dr Pathak honoured with the Nikkei Asia Peace Prize in Tokyo
- Mayor of New York City, Hon’ble Mr. Bill de Blasio honoured Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the Proclamation and declared April 14, 2016 as “Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Day”.
2019
Sulabh receives the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016)
- Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016) for its contribution to the Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi’s flagship programme Swaach Bharat Abhiyan.
2019
Sulabh launches "Say No to Single Use Plastic" campaign
- Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016) for its contribution to the Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi’s flagship programme Swaach Bharat Abhiyan.
2019
On Mahatma Gandhi’s 150 birth anniversary Sulabh eco-friendly with on-site disposal system inaugurated in Phoenix Ashram, Durban, South Africa
- Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016) for its contribution to the Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi’s flagship programme Swaach Bharat Abhiyan.
2024
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak honored posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.
- Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016) for its contribution to the Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi’s flagship programme Swaach Bharat Abhiyan.
2024
His Excellency Mr Demeke A Ambulo, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to India inaugurates the Menstrual Hygiene Management Knowledge Hub at the Sulabh campus
- Sulabh was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize (2016) for its contribution to the Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi’s flagship programme Swaach Bharat Abhiyan.