SRINAGAR: Bilal Ahmed Dar, acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast in 2017, has received an invitation from the Government of India as a guest to witness the Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path on the 75th Republic Day, 26 January 2024.
“You have been recognised by the Honourable Prime Minister in the “Mann Ki Baat ” program, and we extend a cordial invitation for you to be our honoured guest at the Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path during the 75th Republic Day on 26 January 2024. Your presence holds significance for the program, and we will arrange your stay, food, and transportation throughout the event,” reads the invitation letter.
Hailing from the Laharwalpora village in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, Bilal garnered headlines at the age of 18 for his efforts in cleaning Wular Lake and received praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his “Mann Ki Baat” radio address.
Dar started earning at the age of 14 by collecting waste from Wular Lake. Following his father’s sudden demise, he took on the responsibility of financially supporting his mother and two sisters, engaging in the collection of plastic trash and waste from Wular Lake, earning approximately Rs 150-200 per day as a ragpicker.
Subsequently, he was appointed as the brand ambassador of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, equipped with a special uniform and a vehicle to facilitate communication with the people of Srinagar and raise awareness about the significance of cleanliness.
Bilal was also featured in a documentary ‘Saving the Saviour – Story of a kid and Wular Lake’. The documentary depicted the life of Bilal Dar and won several awards at various film festivals.
