Jury Members
Temjen Imna Along
Minister for Higher Education & Tourism, Govt. of Nagaland
Padma Shri Dr. Indira Chakravarty
Public Health Expert
Sai Damodaran
Founder & CEO, Gramalaya
Shankar Venkatasubramanian
EVP, Kumudam Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Manika Raikwar
COO, IILM University
Sonali Khan
Managing Director, Sesame Workshop India
Deepak Bagla
Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
Rusen Kumar
Founder & Managing Editor, India CSR
Kamal Narayan Omer
Founder & CEO , IHW Council
Pawan Jain
CEO, Yuva Unstoppable
Gautam Rishi
Marketing Director, Hygiene, South Asia, Reckitt
What will winners win
As India strides towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, we explore what role education plays to create an India of the future by bringing together leading educationists, policy makers, think tanks, innovators, and institution builders. As India strides towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, we explore what role education plays to create an India of the future by bringing together leading educationists.
Frequently Asked Questions
The National Champions of Change Awards 2026 – Hygiene & Sanitation recognise teachers who have helped improve hygiene, sanitation, health awareness and positive behaviour among students and communities through their initiatives and leadership.
The Awards are open to school teachers from across India.
The Awards are organised under the Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI) initiative, led by Reckitt in association with NDTV and supported by implementation partners.
The Award aims to recognise exemplary teacher-led initiatives in water, sanitation, hygiene and behaviour change (WASH); Promote the adoption of sustainable hygiene and sanitation practices in schools and communities; Encourage the adoption of scalable and replicable solutions that create measurable impact; Create a platform to recognise teachers driving meaningful and lasting change in sanitation and hygiene outcomes.
The Awards are open to permanent, full-time school teachers currently teaching in the same school located across India, for a minimum of two (2) academic years as of March 31, 2026. The applicant must demonstrate at least one (1) year of active involvement in sanitation, hygiene and behavioural change education, integrated into school activities or student engagement. The applicant should have actively led or contributed to hygiene, sanitation, health awareness or behaviour-change initiatives with students. The applicant should have obtained permission from the school to participate. Participation is free of charge.
The initiative must have been implemented between June 01, 2021 – May 31, 2026. For example, if your activity started in 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025 and was active during the eligibility period, it may be considered eligible, subject to meeting the other award criteria
Examples include but not limited to - handwashing and personal hygiene campaigns, school sanitation and toilet maintenance initiatives, menstrual hygiene awareness activities, water conservation programmes, school cleanliness drives, waste segregation and waste management projects, health and hygiene awareness activities, community-led sanitation or behaviour change initiatives, any school-based effort that improved hygiene, sanitation or public health practices among students and communities.
No. A separate No Objection Certificate (NOC) is not required. However, the application must be stamped and signed by the Principal or Head of School.
Yes. More than one teacher from the same school may apply. However, each teacher must submit their own application and clearly describe their individual contribution.
No. Each participant may submit only one application. If a participant wishes to present multiple initiatives, they must be included within the same application.
Applications may be submitted through an authorised DBSI volunteer/coordinator during school visits; or any other official submission channel communicated by the programme team.
You will need to share: Completed application form, Photographs showing your initiative, supporting evidence of your initiative, short video showcasing your initiative (optional but recommended).You can share PDF files, images in JPG or PNG format, and video in MP4 format (Optional).
Applications must be submitted only in English or Hindi. Applications submitted in any other language will not be accepted for evaluation. Applicants are advised to provide clear, complete, and accurate information in their application.
Strong applications typically address a clear hygiene or sanitation challenge, demonstrate teacher leadership, show measurable or visible impact, include supporting evidence, and highlight sustainable or replicable practices.
Yes. You may obtain the UDISE code from your principal, school office, or authorised school representative before submitting the application.
Yes. Newspaper coverage is not mandatory. Clear photographs, school records, testimonials, certificates, or other evidence demonstrating your initiative and its impact will be considered.
Yes. Teachers may apply for initiatives implemented as part of regular school activities, provided they played a meaningful role in leading, organising, or contributing to the initiative and can demonstrate the impact created.
Applications will be accepted until 25 August 2026. All applications must be submitted on or before the closing date. Applications received after the deadline may not be considered. The timelines are subject to change as per the discretion of the awards management.
Up to 34 Winners will be selected through the evaluation process. Among them, up to 17 Grand Awardees will receive special recognition at the National Awards Ceremony on 2 October 2026.
The National Awards Ceremony will be held in Mumbai on 2nd October 2026.
All eligible applications will undergo a structured, multi-stage evaluation process designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and transparency. The evaluation process includes: eligibility check; screening jury review; grand Jury review; final validation; winner announcement. Each stage assesses applications against the defined evaluation criteria before they progress to the next stage.
Applications may be evaluated on the relevance of the initiative, innovation and creativity, student and community impact, sustainability of efforts, evidence provided, and potential for replication in other schools.
Each application may be reviewed by multiple jury members at different stages of the evaluation process.
Shortlisted applicants may be invited to participate in an interaction, presentation, or verification discussion as part of the evaluation process. Relevant details will be communicated directly by the programme team, where applicable.
No. Individual feedback, evaluation comments, or scores will not be shared with applicants.
Up to 34 winners will be selected through the evaluation process. Among them, up to 17 Grand Awardees will be invited to attend the National Awards Ceremony in Mumbai for special recognition.
Yes. Travel and accommodation support will be provided to the selected Grand Awardees for attending the National Awards Ceremony, subject to the programme guidelines. Relevant details and arrangements will be communicated directly to the Grand Awardees by the programme team.
Shortlisted applicants, Winners, and Grand Awardees will be notified directly by the programme team through the email address and mobile number provided in their application. Applicants are advised to ensure that their contact details are accurate and remain active throughout the Awards programme.
Selected Winners will receive an official communication from the programme team; provide any additional information or documents, if required; receive award-related updates and communication. They may also be invited to share a short video highlighting their initiative and its impact.
Yes, winners will have to submit a short video (up to two minutes) showcasing their initiative, implementation journey, and impact, this is subject to change as per the discretion of the awards management. Detailed guidelines, including the format and submission requirements, will be shared in the application form document.
To support applicants throughout the Awards process, the programme may provide: FAQs and application guidelines; Helpdesk support for application-related queries; Orientation and/or Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions, where applicable; Updates and announcements through official programme communication channels. Applicants are encouraged to refer to the guidance materials available on the Awards platform before submitting their applications. If required, applicants may seek support from school principals, school coordinators or designated programme representatives while completing the application.
For any queries related to the Awards, application process, or technical assistance, applicants may contact the programme team at info@banegaswasthindia.com. The team will make reasonable efforts to respond to all queries in a timely manner.