Why is a video that talks about India’s ‘filth’ the most popular TED talk video from our country?

A TEDx Talk video on YouTube titled ‘Why is India so filthy’ has been watched by over 800,000 viewers and the numbers are growing each day. It is the top-viewed TEDx talk video from India in the last five months.

The video features a representative of a non-profit known as ‘The Ugly Indian’ and explains what they do.

What is ‘The Ugly Indian’?

To put it simply, The Ugly Indian is an anonymous, non-profit organization that strives to keep our streets clean.

Now it may sound like a very ordinary and straightforward mission. But the way this organisation works and what they have achieved so far is nothing short of extraordinary.

Here’s the popular video of ‘The Ugly Indian’ at TEDx Bangalore, 2014

How do they work?

The Ugly Indian started out as a social experiment in Bangalore back in 2011. As explained in the video, they wanted to find out the root cause of India’s lack of concern towards its public spaces. One by one, the task of cleaning various footpaths, subways and other public spaces in the city was taken up by Bangalore’s own citizens who joined hands to rid their neighbourhoods of filth.

An open urinal on MG Road turned into a wi-fi spot

Unlike many cleaning drives that last for a few hours on a Sunday morning, The Ugly Indian’s effort is more sustained. They collaborate with local residents, municipal workers and even corporators to make sure that their good work isn’t easily undone.

Nothing is impossible when people join hands.

Age is no bar when you are driven

Soon the movement became viral and more and more people from across the country adopted the ‘Ugly Indian’ way to clean up their surroundings.

An ‘ugly’ story from Amritsar

What makes ‘The Ugly Indian’ unique and what makes them click?

As described in the video, the organisation believes in action, more than mere words. Here are a few things that have worked in its favour.

1. It’s leaderless. In other words, everyone is equal. No one is answerable to no one.

An example of TUI’s work

2. They don’t seek credit for the work. They just want to get work done.

3. It’s faceless. They do not want to know who you are, they just care about what you do.

4. No money involved. It’s non-profit and a collective effort involving ordinary citizens.

5. They don’t talk to the media: Perhaps the biggest and the most important quality of the organisation. The TEDx video was an exception made just to get the message out. But even there, the representative wore a mask and kept his identity under wraps.

6. No preaching. Again, they don’t expect you to convert, shout slogans, or preach cleanliness to others. You join their work when and where you can with whatever you can do.

7. No blame-game: Another excellent measure to stay apolitical and unbiased.

8. Reason and logic: The organization works with a simple aim—work at a problem until its fixed. Their guidelines make it fairly clear.

“A ‘solution’ is real only if: It sustains in the public street for at least 90 days, with no supervision, is low-cost, easy to implement and replicate, changes the behaviour and attitudes of all concerned; and creates minimal change in the daily actions of everyone concerned.”

9. And finally, they’re realistic and considerate: They don’t expect you leave everything aside and pick up a broom. Here’s what their website states.

“Nobody should lose a job, lose a source of income, or get seriously inconvenienced – because it takes only one Ugly Indian to undo the good work of a hundred others.”

In short, The Ugly Indian has inspired citizens to stop complaining and take action in order to change their surroundings. To know more about this movement, you can check The Ugly Indian’s website or go to their Facebook page.

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