A 21-year-old student from central India, Surendra Singh Choudhary, known locally as "Bittu Tabahi," has dedicated months to cleaning the Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh using his own money and simple tools. Choudhary, who is studying science at a university in the small town of Biaora, started the cleanup in January with the help of friends but eventually worked alone after others stopped participating. He often lied to his parents about going out to play cricket or meet friends, instead heading to the river to clean it. The Ajnar River flows near a temple that Choudhary frequently visited, and the sight of pollution there inspired him to take action. He said he often thought about cleaning the river whenever he went to the temple or passed by it. He continued his efforts through different seasons, sometimes returning in the evenings during summer, despite lacking proper safety equipment or knowledge of swimming. His work has taken a toll on his health, with infections and peeling skin on his hands and feet due to repeated contact with polluted water. Choudhary has expressed a desire to build a machine to clean the river but lacks the funds as a student. He and his friends pooled about Rs 30,000 (£233) to buy equipment and installed a few dustbins around the river. He has not received any external funding for his efforts. Photos of the river before and after the cleanup went viral online, drawing attention beyond Biaora. However, some people accused him of cleaning the river for social media views, while others questioned the authenticity of the before-and-after images. In one video, Choudhary responded to claims that the transformation was achieved using artificial intelligence, emphasizing that he had done the work himself over several months. Biaora's municipal authorities have now provided heavy machinery to remove waste and debris, with local residents joining the effort, according to a municipal sub-engineer. However, Choudhary argues that simply removing rubbish is only part of the problem, as waste continues to flow into the river from five major drains. The municipality has proposed a sewage treatment plant costing Rs 147.7 million (£1.1 million). Additionally, people often leave religious offerings in the river, which adds to the pollution. Choudhary has collected some of these offerings and turned them into compost, but he has little control over what others put into the river. He admits he does not know why people throw garbage in the river and cannot stop them. Recently, Dutch inventor Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup, responded to a post about Choudhary's work with an invitation to join his team. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh's chief minister praised Choudhary's efforts during a visit to his residence in Bhopal.