In October 2015, Shah began picking up rubbish from the beach every Sunday morning. At first, it was just him and a neighbor, and then he began1others to join in. Word spread and with help from social media, more volunteers got2.
Shah hasn't stopped since. He's now spent 209 weekends3to this mission, inspiring more than 200,0004to join him in what's been called the world's biggest beach cleanup. By October 2018, Versova Beach was5clean and Shah's cleanups expanded to another6as well as a stretch of the Mithi River and other regions of India.
For Shah, the work has7been a personal journey, but it has earned8attention. After he was9as a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations in 2016, Bollywood celebrities and politicians10his mission and joined in his cleanups.
Today, Shah is also working with coastal communities to11plastic pollution at one of the sources. In areas lacking waste management systems, 12often end（s）up in streams and rivers that empty into the13. Shah and his volunteers14and assist villagers in reducing, managing and recycling their plastic waste.
"This world15too much. I think you must talk less and do action16," he said. "Every citizen on this 17must be in for a long pull. I feel the18to do something for my planet, so this will19for life. If each one could start, this journey could become20Can we do it together?"
