‘BSG for SDG’ Sustainable Newsletter | Issue 23 | May 2025

In 2001, after 17 successful years in the advertising industry, I was at the top of my game – a “big man” in a big advertising agency. But life took a sharp turn when I suffered a severe health setback. My doctors advised me against taking on any stressful jobs, effectively rendering me unemployable.

It was during this turbulent phase that I encountered the writings of SGI Founding President Daisaku Ikeda through my voluntary involvement with Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG). The more I read, the more I resonated with his wisdom, compassion, and vision for humanity. I knew – I had found my lifelong mentor.

Inspired by President Ikeda’s writings, I refused to give in to despair. I took on freelance work for various brands, which was just enough to keep me afloat. But finances became increasingly difficult. Between rent, EMIs, and household expenses, the pressure mounted. Many nights I lay awake, my health deteriorating, and many close friends and family slowly faded from my life.

Through all of this, the one unwavering support was my Buddhist practice and my mentor’s encouragement.

Meanwhile, the advertising industry was evolving. Traditional print and TV ads were giving way to digital platforms. My skills were becoming obsolete, and freelance opportunities began to dry up.

One line from President Ikeda kept me going:

“Never for an instant forget the effort to renew your life, to build yourself anew. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway of life itself. This is not an easy task… But opening the door to your own life is in the end more difficult than opening the door to all the mysteries of the universe.”

With this resolve, in 2016, I committed to reinventing myself.

In my 40s, I decided to become an actor – not to chase stardom, but to overcome my fear of public speaking. If I truly wanted to spread goodness, I had to learn to use my voice. I acted in plays and web series – across Hindi, English, and Urdu – most centred on social issues. One opportunity led me to a village school, where I taught acting to children aged 5 to 15, entirely pro bono.

In my 50s, I dove headfirst into digital media. Despite my seniority in the industry, I fearlessly joined a digital marketing agency – as an intern! The young team was initially baffled – some found it funny, others suspicious – but as I continued heartfelt dialogues with them, they began to understand and accept me. I became part of the team, learning with humility and enthusiasm.

This opened new, unimaginable doors.

Incredibly, at the age of 59, I was offered a position at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It was a job that aligned perfectly with my mentor’s vision – to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to building a better, more sustainable world.

Through my role at UNDP, I gained a deeper understanding of the SDGs and how communication and creativity could help further their cause. I realized that everything I had done until that point had prepared me for this very mission.

Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, another challenge – and another opportunity – arose. Budget cuts meant our organization’s video vendor was let go. Suddenly, I had to produce 2–3 videos a week, despite having no training in video production.

So, at age 60, I taught myself professional video editing.

When I retired three years later, I still felt an unstoppable drive to create and innovate. Around the same time, BSG launched the BSG for SDG initiative – an effort to use creativity and technology to inspire sustainable human behaviour. I had the honour of being on the founding taskforce. Together, we shaped its mission, vision, logo, and more.

I took on the role of video creator – channelling my new skills to produce educational content on the SDGs. I was convinced that when used mindfully, technology can help reduce consumption, drive behavioural change, and lead us toward a sustainable world. After all, it is human behaviour that has led to the crisis we face today.

Today, I’m immensely proud that what began as a humble initiative by a handful of committed individuals has grown into a large-scale grassroots movement with thousands of sustainability ambassadors. BSG has hosted conclaves, exhibitions, and seminars that continue to inspire people to embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Lakhs of individuals across India are now practicing sustainability in their daily lives because of this initiative.

At 65, when someone asks me, “What do you do?” I simply show them an SDG video on my phone – always ready, cued on BSG’s YouTube channel.

I say with pride: “This is what I do. I work for the SDGs.”

From being a big man in a big agency, today, I am a very big man on a very big mission – to build a sustainable world.

I am determined to continue working on myself, to become a champion of sustainable behaviour, to keep learning, innovating, and using my creativity to build a future that honours both people and the planet. Because sustainability demands an all-out, heartfelt, and creative effort from each of us.

The BSG for SDG Mobile App was born not out of a desire to create another tech product, but from a deep spiritual conviction – one rooted in the Buddhist philosophy that inner transformation leads to outer change. It was envisioned as a tool to support Bharat Soka Gakkai’s mission to promote sustainable human behaviour and help realize the UN SDGs, one individual at a time.

When we first started the BSG for SDG initiative, the core idea was simple but powerful: change doesn’t have to begin with governments or corporations; it can begin with us. But to turn this belief into a movement, we needed a way to connect individuals, to make everyday acts of sustainability visible, valued, and replicable. That’s how the concept of the app emerged – as a digital platform that would bridge awareness and action, values and behaviour, the individual and the collective.

Initially, the app was just a vision. We asked ourselves: How can we create a space where people don’t just passively learn about sustainability, but actively engage with it? How can we encourage people to document their small but significant acts – like segregating waste, carrying a cloth bag, or switching to public transport – and show that these actions matter?

The app that eventually took shape answered these very questions. The BSG for SDG Mobile App allows users to upload their sustainable actions in the form of photos or videos – creating a living, evolving gallery of grassroots environmental leadership. It features a carbon footprint calculator, which helps users understand the real-world impact of their actions, reinforcing the idea that every choice counts. It also provides practical tips, resources, and inspiration, making sustainability accessible and actionable for people from all walks of life.

As someone involved in its end-to-end ideation and launch, I can say this app is not merely a digital tool – it is the embodiment of our mentor SGI Founding President Daisaku Ikeda’s belief in the power of one. His words have always reminded us that a single individual, awakened to their mission, can transform their environment, their community, and even the course of history. This app gives people the platform to do just that – to share, to connect, and to inspire.

One of the most heartening outcomes has been how the app has brought together a wide cross-section of users – from students and homemakers to working professionals and retirees. They are documenting and celebrating their sustainable choices, and in doing so, they are motivating others in their communities to join in. We’ve seen how a simple video of someone composting in their backyard or cycling to work has inspired others to make similar changes. In a world often dominated by negativity, this app has become a platform of hope, possibility, and action.

During the app’s early rollout, we faced many challenges – technical, conceptual, and even emotional. Would people use it? Would they feel vulnerable sharing their efforts publicly? Would it truly inspire change? But we found that once people began using it, they felt proud of their contributions. Many users expressed how the app made them feel seen, heard, and connected to a larger purpose.

In today’s world, where climate anxiety and environmental degradation can often feel overwhelming, the app plays a unique role – it gives people a sense of agency. It transforms the narrative from “What can one person do?” to “Look what one person can do!”

What makes the BSG for SDG Mobile App stand apart is that it doesn’t rely solely on external motivation. It is grounded in the inner determination of individuals who believe in their ability to make a difference. It doesn’t gamify action for the sake of numbers – it humanizes action for the sake of meaning. And in that lies its true power.

As of today, the app has been downloaded by more than 15,000 users not just across India, but across the world, and it continues to grow in reach and relevance. It has become a hub for storytelling, community-building, and real-time impact tracking. And as the climate crisis intensifies, we believe this app will only grow in importance – because the battle for sustainability must be fought both on the ground and in the heart.

Today, I carry the app on my phone like a badge of honour. This app is my daily toolkit.

The BSG for SDG App is not just an innovation – it is a movement. A movement that says: each action matters, every person counts, and together, we can build a more sustainable world.