{
  "id": 8177525,
  "title": "Meet ‘Tabahi’, the college-goer who went viral for cleaning a pond",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/meet-tabahi-the-college-goer-who-went-viral-for-cleaning-a-pond",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T05:17:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - India",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-india",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bittu-tabahi-surendra-singh-chaudhary-pond-river-cleaning-viral-10883175/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Surendra Singh Chaudhary, known as “Tabahi” on Instagram, gained national attention for cleaning a pond near his home in Madhya Pradesh. Despite having no formal backing or support, the 21-year-old spent his days, starting at 6 am, cleaning the polluted waterbody near a local temple. He began noticing the pond's filthiness and felt compelled to act, leading to a larger project of cleaning India's Ajnar River. His efforts took nine months and cost around Rs 30,000 of his own money. His name, Tabahi, translates to 'devastation,' but it also reflects his dedication to the cause. Tabahi's Instagram following grew to 1.9 million followers after his efforts went viral. He faced criticism for possibly seeking publicity, but the visible transformation gradually changed public opinion. Now, local authorities provide assistance for his clean-up projects. Despite the physical risks and costs, Tabahi remains committed to his mission of revitalizing polluted water bodies across states.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "\"Tabahi,\" aka Surendra Singh Chaudhary, 21, cleans pond in Madhya Pradesh",
    "Grew Instagram following to 1.9 million after viral efforts",
    "Local authorities now assist his clean-up projects across states"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Tabahi's viral success shifts public opinion and gains him local authority support, validating his unconventional approach to environmental activism and paving the way for further clean-up projects.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Meet ‘Tabahi’, the college-goer who went viral for cleaning a pond",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/meet-tabahi-the-college-goer-who-went-viral-for-cleaning-a-pond-8182419",
        "published": "2026-09-18T05:17:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}