Dear Reader,
Today we unveil our sixth annual list of DH Changemakers, another set of truly remarkable individuals who have lit up the lives of those around them in ways that may not even have seemed possible when they set out on their unique journeys.

Our own journey in identifying Changemakers in Karnataka started in late 2018, culminating in our first list of 19 people to watch in 2019. Over the past five years, we have had the privilege of shining the spotlight on more than a hundred individuals, identified through a rigorous internal process. In the last three years, an eminent external jury has made the final selections. What started out as a quiet listing of individuals has also transformed into an annual felicitation event, in end-January, which gives us an opportunity to get our laureates on stage.

Many wonderful individuals have passed through these portals. They include India cricketer Devdutt Padikkal, classical vocalist prodigy Rahul Vellal, folk singer Shilpa Mudbi, Yakshagana artiste Kavyashree Ajeru, millet evangelist Bibi Jan and health entrepreneurs Mudit Dandwate and Gaurav Parchani.

This year's list is no less inspiring. Read about the 25-year-old whose satellites are assessing soil quality and detecting leaks in oil and gas pipelines, the young woman who has set up 40 cafes across India employing people with disabilities, the 23-year-old from Hassan whose exploits with the javelin seem certain to put Karnataka on the world map, the cop who developed a network of 4,000 blood donors, and the Koppal native who left a big city job to focus on reviving an art form that dates back to the Vijayanagara empire.

What unifies these individuals, and sets them apart from those around them, is their total, utter commitment -- jumping with heart, soul and both feet into whatever they do -- and the complete conviction in the worthiness of what they are fighting to achieve. They recognise this cause is bigger than them, and touches not just their lives but the lives of hundreds of others, either directly or by way of being an inspiration.

We salute their magnificent obsessions, and take pride in telling their stories to the world. We hope, in the years to come, they will go on to still greater things, creating a rising tide that lifts all boats, a surge that transforms existences, and a brilliance that dispels the various darknesses that we face.

Sitaraman Shankar
Editor, Deccan Herald