Ripu Daman Bevli

Ripu Daman Bevli is a prominent environmentalist and social activist renowned for spearheading India's first eco-fitness movement, the ‘Litter-Free India’ initiative. Ripu has earned acclaim as the ‘Plogman of India’, credited with introducing the concept of ‘plogging’ (a combination of jogging and picking up litter) to the country as a solution to its littering crisis. His tireless efforts have earned him recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hailed him as a beacon of inspiration for the nation.

In 2017, Ripu initiated the ‘Ploggers of India’ movement, dedicating himself entirely to the cause by relinquishing his job in 2018. Originally dubbed ‘My city, My responsibility’, the movement evolved into ‘Ploggers of India’,  focusing on raising awareness about littering and promoting cleanliness through ‘plogging’

Ripu's outreach extended to schools and institutions, collaborating with NGOs to instill a sense of civic responsibility among the youth, aligning with the FIT India and Swachh Bharat missions.

In 2019 Ripu embarked on a monumental campaign, ‘Run to Make India Litter Free’, in partnership with R|Elan. Running an astonishing 1000 km across 50 cities in India, he conducted clean-up operations while inspiring citizens to take ownership of their environment. The campaign culminated in a grand finale attended by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on December 5, 2019, leaving an indelible mark on the national consciousness.

Amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ripu launched the ‘Plastic Upvaas’ campaign, advocating for reusable fabric masks over surgical masks to reduce plastic waste.