Born: 2 April 1943 Hajipur, Bihar Province, British India
Died: 15 August 2023 (aged 80) New Delhi, India
Education: M.A. (Sociology 1980), M.A. (English 1986), Ph.D. (1985), D.Litt. (1994)
Alma mater Banaras Hindu University, Patna University
Known for: Founding Sulabh International and social reform in India
Bindeshwar Pathak (2 April 1943 – 15 August 2023) was an Indian sociologist and social entrepreneur. He was the founder of Sulabh International, an India-based social service organisation promoting human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education. He was the Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission of Indian Railways, a complement to the broader Swachh Bharat Mission. His work is considered pioneering in social reform, especially in the field of sanitation and hygiene. He received various national and international awards for his work with this organisation. He was presented with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for the year 2017. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, India’s highest civilian award, posthumously in 2024 and the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 1991.
