Sandeep Singh Rawat ( 29 ), poses for a photograph inside his restaurant in Bhallegaon

Sandeep Singh Rawat ( 29 ), poses for a photograph inside his restaurant in Bhallegaon, Tehri District, Uttrakhand. Sandeep was one of the first people to join Ganesh, in his initiative to help people with medical emergencies. Considering the tough terrain of the region and inaccessibility to the road, often Ganesh would need extra hands to help, lifting patients and bringing them to the main road. Sandeep said, “Ganesh bhai’s love for the mountains and his courage to help people, has drawn me to join hands with him. My wife was pregnant at the time and needed to be taken for an ultrasound, it's when I called Ganesh Bhai, as I didn't have a car. And he immediately came to help! “

Sandeep has a roadside restaurant which has been non- functioned since March 22, 2020. Before the lockdown, he would earn between 15k-20k a month depending on the tourist season. He had taken a loan of worth Rupees 10 lakh to make the restaurant and 2.5 is still remaining to give. With rising interest and no income, he fears he might have to sell off the place.

Currently, Sandeep is also fighting another battle with some other young people from his village against the Stone Crushing company. He fears that if the stone crusher starts he might lose his farmland, he won’t be able to grow anything due to dust pollution, the crusher creates. He along with other people have been on a sit-in protest for more than a month now and soon might go into a hunger strike if there are no steps taken.