This Man Is Fighting Against the System to Give Beggars a Dignified Life
Sharad was a 16-year-old at that time and was impressed with the city, but when he noticed beggars, who were presumably drug addicts, sleeping near a hotel at the Lucknow railway station, something also pinched him inside. After finishing his graduation, Sharad was determined to help the destitute and declared at his home that he was going to do a master’s in social work.
In 2014 Sharad filed an RTI application with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to understand its efforts for the welfare of beggars. The information he received claimed that there were 8 homes in 7 districts of the state that provided shelter and food to beggars. Thus, on October 2nd, 2014, Sharad started a campaign named Bhikshavratti Mukti Abhiyan (‘Begging-Free Movement’) to eradicate the problems faced by beggars and to make them self-dependent. Sharad has passed this hurdle, and today there are almost 100 kids in his school and Under his guidance, 22 beggars have stopped begging and have started working.
Source: https://www.thebetterindia.com/121040/sharad-patel-bhikshavrutti-mukti-abhiyan-lucknow/