Degree in Electrical Engineering; postgraduate diploma in High Voltage Engineering. Formerly: taught engineering in college, Bhopal; 1980, founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan or Save the Childhood Movement, which initiated South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude, a group of more than 750 civil society organizations; 1994, started Rugmark, a programme in which rugs are labelled and certified to be free of child labour; promoted empowerment of children through campaign for formation of Child Friendly Villages; 1998, organized Global March Against Child Labour, across 103 countries. 2005, named one of 12 New Heroes by the Skoll Foundation, US. Recipient of awards including: Freedom Award, US (2006); Heroes Acting to End Modern Day Slavery, US(2007); Medal of Italian Senate (2007); Alfonso Comin International Award, Spain (2008), PGA Defenders of Democracy Award (2009).