BINDESHWAR PATH-AK, the award-winning founder of the Sulabh movement, has been invited by students of the university to address the Cambridge Union Society on Friday. Known for its vigorous debating culture, the Cambridge Union Society is the oldest student debating society in the world and Cambridge University’s largest.
Founded in 1815, it has welcomed speakers from across the world and across generations, from Prime Ministers to Presidents, authors to actors and singers to sportspersons. These included Jawaharlal Nehru also.
The society has invited Pathak to understand his ongoing campaign against the practice of manual scavenging of human excreta and promotion of sanitation.
Lauren Davidson, president of the society, said in his invitation letter: “We have also previously hosted Jawahar Lal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India, and I hope we can add Dr Pathak’s name to this list.”
Davidson said that students of the university would be thrilled to hear about his role in the promotion of human rights, environmental sanitation and alternative energy resources.
The letter further said that social reform is always a topic of interest at university and students would get an opportunity to interact with the Sulabh founder.
Sulabh is the pioneering organisation in the field of biogas generation from public toilet complexes.