The Good Story Project

03/04/2024

A Story Dedicated to Mum, With Love

William’s mother Bharati D’Souza was 76 when she left the world on November 1, 2022. Before she was diagnosed with Koch’s disease in 2010 which affected her spine and rendered her bedridden, Bharati was very active.

For William, a Mumbai-based journalist and communications professional, and his family, the next 12 years were all about learning and unlearning, but mostly about caregiving. After Bharati passed away, William and his wife Zarine decided to share their caregiving journey to help all those who might be taking care of elderly, dependent parents.

If you happen to be a caregiver, do read. There are very important lessons.

Story link: http://bit.ly/3VIHFLA

16/02/2024

An Unusual Love Story

It is always astonishing how love can strike. It happened in the case of Vinay Jaiswal and Pooja Choudhary. The two got married in 2012, but mutually and amicably separated in 2018 as they felt they couldn’t connect. Their hearts, however, remained connected even after the separation. So, when Vinay suffered a heart attack in August last year, his ex-wife came running to take care of him. Then something unusual happened.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3SZ2Sip

06/01/2024

A Bagful of kindness

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reflect upon the year gone by. When journalist Saurabh Sharma looks back at his last year’s professional journey, one assignment stands out. It wasn’t just a story. It was an experience that touched him personally.

When he went to cover the Uttarakhand tunnel tragedy, little did he know that he would come back with a bagful of unexpected episodes of kindness. He shares with The Good Story Project the story behind a story.

Story link: https://bit.ly/48J3WvW

25/11/2023

Meet single mom Sh*tal Shah and her two adopted daughters ...

"So many people tell me that it is courageous of me to adopt two girls. But I don’t see it as an act of courage. It is all about love and acceptance.”

Sh*tal Shah, actress, director, and entrepreneur, is relishing her life right now. This 37-year-old single mother can’t stop talking about her younger daughter Sara (nine months old now), whom she adopted in 2023. Earlier, Sh*tal had adopted her older daughter Serena in 2018. Sh*tal is having her time under the sun and enjoying this beautiful phase of her life with her two daughters. She feels the concept of parenthood in our society is changing and people are warming up to the idea of having a family based on love and organic connection rather than just birth and DNA.

Story link: https://shorter.me/Zp6OZ

18/07/2023

Healing bootcamp (July 19-21)

The Healing Power of the Five Elements

Amidst the chaos and busyness of our lives, we often yearn for a profound sense of peace, clarity, and purpose. It is within this quest for answers that we embark on a remarkable journey of self-discovery.

I am Vimida M Das. My insatiable curiosity and love for stories led me to unravel the profound wisdom of the esoteric. I am happy to share my journey with you.

Five Elements—earth, water, fire, wind, and space—possessing unique qualities waiting to be harnessed. I strongly believe that by resonating with these elemental energies, individuals can tap into their true selves. I have organised a "Five-Element Healing Bootcamp" from July 19-21.

For registration and details, click here: https://bit.ly/3K73Mo7

To read my story, click here: https://bit.ly/3K2eeNz

12/07/2023

Dignified Farewell

Bhubaneshwar-based Pradeep and Madhumita Prusty are an extraordinary couple. On most days, their day begins and ends at the local cremation ground. To perform the last rites of unclaimed bodies is the mission of their lives.

Be it the recent triple train tragedy at Balasore in Odisha, the Covid-19 pandemic or even during perfectly normal times, the Prustys have been doing their bit for society. Selflessly. This is their story.

Story link: https://l1nq.com/jq2F8

26/01/2023

A story that perfectly sums up the idiom “age is just a number”

There are numerous inspirational and moving stories around us, but they seldom find an appropriate platform. So, when DroneAcharya, a Pune-based drone start-up, approached us with a story idea, we were happy to work on it.

A few months back, Sapna Sharma, 57, joined DroneAcharya. This is Sharma’s very first job. Her workplace happens to be a start-up, a space that is dominated by the young. And yet, the organisation welcomed her on board.

There’s a reason such stories need to be told. While we have women who have managed to break the glass ceiling, for many, career takes a backseat after marriage or children. Many choose to take a step back as responsibilities multiple or because they don’t get any help or support from families and many fail to open their innings.

It's a story that every woman (and man) must read. And, of course, we need more workplaces like DroneAcharya.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3wxA5W2

25/01/2023

DroneAcharya is on a high!

Pune-based DroneAcharya ended 2022 with a bang by becoming the first listed drone start-up in India. Riding high on the success of the bumper listing, the start-up is all set to make waves in the drone service and manufacturing space this year and in the years to come.

In conversation with The Good Story Project’s Swati Subhedar, DroneAcharya founder and managing director Prateek Srivastava shares the journey of his start-up which, in a very short span of time, has managed to have a presence not just in India, but also in South East Asia, UAE, Eastern Europe, and North America.

He also shed some light on how DroneAcharya was able to create employment opportunities for many youngsters in the drone space and also discussed the future of this emerging technology.

Interview link: https://bit.ly/3ZYLNqm

09/01/2023

Spreading the goodness of yoga and naturopathy

At times, life experiences end up changing the course of our journey and we unintentionally stumble upon something that is our true calling.

Ritu Sharma’s professional life was perfectly on track, but when she witnessed her father and father-in-law battle cancer around the same time, that made her pause and think about the futility of constantly running around to achieve something at the cost of health. It was then that she found herself drawn to naturopathy, yoga, and self-healing and decided to take it up professionally.

Today, she is a certified expert who conducts training and workshops, organises awareness camps and drives and is also an educator. Through this story, Sharma hopes to inspire everyone to practice yoga and adopt the principles of naturopathy. There is also an important message for women who are struggling to find their true calling.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3X5XqJQ

31/12/2022

14/11/2022

Today, on World Diabetes Day, you may want to read this interview

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research’s September 2022 report, India is home to 77 million diabetics, the second highest in the world. Yet, the unfortunate truth is, we know very little about it.

This, according to Jazz Sethi, 26, founder and director of The Diabesties Foundation, is because we tend to generalise diabetes. In this interview with The Good Story Project’s Swati Subhedar, Sethi, a Type 1 Diabetic (T1D), elaborates on how those living with diabetes, especially T1D, often struggle to deal with the endocrinological, physical, physiological, emotional, mental, psychological, and financial aspects that come along as package deal.

We also touched upon a range of other topics, including the insulin monopoly, the need to educate individuals living with diabetes as well as their families and caregivers and provide them with multidimensional support, and the massive role organisations like hers are playing to fill in the gaps in our broken healthcare system until major policy level changes are implemented by the government.

Interview link: https://bit.ly/3g5fyDM

10/11/2022

Scripting a successful start-up story from a small village in Jharkhand

In June 2020, amid the global pandemic, Kundan Mishra (wearing white shirt), who hails from a small village named Pupunki in Jharkhand, launched Custkart Merchandise with his savings. In just two years, his venture, which manufactures and sells customised t-shirts on bulk order, is clocking revenues to the tune of Rs 1.5-2 crore and has a pan-India clientele.

What clicked?

It was Mishra’s conviction and intention. He wanted to send across a message to the youth of Jharkhand — who often have to migrate for work or end up scrambling for government jobs back home – that entrepreneurship is also an option and one can run a successful venture even from a nondescript village like Pupunki.

Mishra, 25, also wanted to be a job creator, so, on the payroll of Custkart are daily wage earners from the village who are looking for additional income or those who were working in big cities but had to return home during the pandemic.

Read and share this story because it’s important to promote young entrepreneurs like Mishra who are trying to set an example.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3hqI3fs

31/10/2022

Adding French to your resume will take you places

We are often told – when an opportunity presents itself, don’t be afraid of pursuing it. Sugandha Dubey Mishra did just that. Her journey from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh to now being a French educator to students from across the globe is inspiring.

A translator, interpreter, and corporate trainer, she also works closely with many embassies and international businesses, where her French language skills are sought after.

In this candid chat with The Good Story Project, she gives us a peak into her profession and tells us how learning French, the language of travel, tourism, literature, international businesses, and diplomacy, will open new doors for students and professionals.

Read this story if you want to be inspired to follow your own passion and carve out a unique path for yourself.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3SQlvBQ

23/10/2022

Team The Good Story Project wishes you all a very Happy Diwali!

Two years back, on this day, we launched our venture. In the past one year, we published stories that have inspired us and also got an opportunity to work on some exciting content projects. We will share the details in the days to come.

Meanwhile, please check out our testimonials page. It is the kind words written by our clients, authors, readers, and contributors that motivate us to do better.

Testimonial link: https://bit.ly/3Sygfm1

23/10/2022

The Good Story Project wishes you all a very happy festive season. Most of us are on Diwali break, and this Sunday if you want to read something thought provoking, here's a story for you.

It's the other side of the story ...

In October 2020, when the journey of The Good Story Project began, we published a series on people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Our aim was to highlight the many challenges and how those profiled in the series showed extraordinary strength and courage, embraced their disability, fought every step of the way and are not just doing well in personal and professional spheres, but are also winning medals for the country.

While one may come across many success stories, very few stories delve deeper and focus on factors like the challenges of physical rehabilitation, social integration, and the high cost of living that come along with spinal cord injuries. September was spinal cord injury awareness month. We spent the month talking to people with SCIs to understand these three important aspects … aspects that no one talks about.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3VSkBHK

16/10/2022

Pandemic, inflation and hunger

In a report released on October 15, India has been ranked 107th out of 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022. A score of 29.1 puts the country in the "serious" category.

The reason for mapping hunger is to ensure that the world achieves “Zero Hunger by 2030” — one of the Sustainable Development Goals laid out by the United Nations.

World Food Day is observed annually on October 16 to highlight the millions of people worldwide who cannot afford a healthy diet and the need for regular access to nutritious food. The theme for 2022 is "Leave NO ONE behind".

World Food Day 2022 is being marked in a year with multiple global challenges, including the pandemic, conflict, climate change, rising prices and international tensions.

Last year, on World Food Day, The Good Story Project spoke to five families who had not eaten enough since the beginning of the pandemic. The women had to bear the brunt as they had to manage with less ration or the parents had to cut down on their intake, so that their children could eat enough. Wonder if their situation has changed in the past one year.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3D22uaS

10/10/2022

“Like” it or not … social media may affect your mental health. Use it wisely

Have you felt depressed after seeing a friend’s holiday pictures on Facebook? Do you feel the urge to go to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram multiple times in a day just to check how many likes your picture, post, or any form of content that you have put out has got, and do you feel depressed if the hits are below your expectations?

Has it happened to you at a workplace that you have felt extremely anxious after posting something on social media fearing that it may not get enough traction? Have you gone on a downward spiral after reading negative or hate comments on your post?

While it may not be difficult to deal with these emotions on a normal day, but all days are not normal. And for those who are already dealing with mental health issues like anxiety or depression, being on social media can be detrimental.

However, social media platforms are powerful mediums where healthy and mature discussions around mental health issues can take place. Today is World Mental Health Day and it’s the right day to “comment” on how mental health and social media go hand in glove.

Story link: https://bit.ly/3MjZ9qB

05/10/2022

27/09/2022

The pandemic dealt a massive blow to the tourism industry. However, as per the United Nations, international tourist arrivals at the start of 2022 were double the level recorded in 2021 and in some regions, arrivals are already at, or even above, pre-pandemic levels.

The theme for this year's World Tourism Day is "Rethinking Tourism" and the aim is to "inspire the debate around rethinking tourism for development, including through education and jobs, and tourism’s impact on the planet and opportunities to grow more sustainably."

The post-pandemic recovery has been slow, but steady, however, for those associated with the industry, it is going to be difficult to erase 2020-2021 from their memories.

On World Tourism Day, we are pulling out two stories from our story bank which we published during the pandemic period.

Read:

1. Pandemic roadblock: The uphill task of reviving mountain tourism: https://bit.ly/3LLtMVE

2. The hauntingly beautiful Spiti Valley stood completely deserted this whole year: https://bit.ly/3r7BIY1

17/08/2022

Do watch Kaun Banega Crorepati tonight!

Nearly two years back, when we launched The Good Story Project, we had published a story on grandmothers who go to school.

Elderly women in the age group of 60-90, living in Fangane village, about 120 kms from Mumbai, had just one dream ... to be able to write their names before they reached the end of their lives. Their dream struck a chord with Yogendra Bangar, a teacher at the only government school in the village, and he opened Ajjibaichi Shala -- a school for grandmothers -- in 2016.

Gradually, these “100% illiterate” grannies started putting their signature on ration cards and cheque books and no longer had to go through the humiliation of giving their thumb impressions.

A few weeks back, the founder of the school and some of the "students" got an opportunity to participate in Kaun Banega Crorepati and meet Amitabh Bachchan!

If this cute picture piques your interest and you want to read more about Ajjibaichi Shala and these adorable grannies, here's the link.

Click: https://bit.ly/3C5SeOJ

14/08/2022

11/08/2022

09/08/2022

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is marked every year on August 9 to protect the rights of the indigenous populations around the globe. This year, the theme is ‘The role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge.’

Last year, Dr Deepak Acharya, an Ethnobotanist, a Ph.D. in Plant Sciences, and a herbal enthusiast, had taken us to the jungles of Dang in Gujarat, Patalkot in Madhya Pradesh, and Bastar in Chhattisgarh to introduce us to some of the ‘superfoods’ that the Adivasis living in these regions consume.

Here's the story link: https://bit.ly/3PbziRN

Also read:

The tree-hugging Adivasis of Hasdeo Arand: https://bit.ly/3PcAUKK

When children living in Adivasi hamlets in Aarey, Mumbai, got smartphones: https://bit.ly/3QtUBPh

29/07/2022

Educating kids for Re 1/day … that’s indeed a good ‘Shuruaat’

As per UNICEF, the pandemic and lockdowns have led to the closure of lakhs of schools in India and impacted crores of children. However, for a developing country like ours, the pandemic was just an added blow as more than 60 lakh boys and girls were out of school even before the pandemic. Efforts are being made by individuals and organisations to bridge this gap, especially post covid.

Recently, Abhishek Shukla, the founder of Shuruaat — Ek Jyoti Shiksha ki, opened a school for underprivileged children in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, named Shuruaat Play School. The children studying here are given quality education … and a lot more … for just Re 1/day.

Why Re 1? Because that’s how much one tends to give to children who beg at traffic signals. The tagline of the campaign is quite apt – ek rupaiye bhiksha, ya ek rupaiye me shiksha … how would you rather spend your Re 1? By giving it as alms to a child or towards his/her daily school fees?

Story link: https://bit.ly/3S95uHU

14/07/2022

Celebrating Disability Pride Month

July is celebrated as Disability Pride Month, a month that gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and have positive conversations about disabilities.

Since its launch in 2020, The Good Story Project has given space to stories that promote inclusion and equality.

Here are our top-five stories that will encourage and motivate you to have more conversations.

1. Story of Chanchal Soni, the youngest single-leg amputee climber in the world to reach the Mount Everest base camp: https://bit.ly/3PHC5mr

2. The incredible story of Chitrasen Sahu who is on "Mission Inclusion: https://bit.ly/3ceVLQ4

3. Nukkad ... a cool cafe in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, that promotes social inclusion and equality: https://bit.ly/3yFylLd

4. Story of Ishrat Akhter ... a wheelchair basketball player from Kashmir: https://bit.ly/3yGYJnI

5. Promoting inclusion at workplaces ... an honest account by Mrunmaiy Abroal: https://thegoodstoryproject.com/2020/11/25/if-you-are-hiring-a-person-with-a-disability-you-dont-have-to-lower-your-expectations-be-inclusive/