M. B. Nirmal

M.B. Nirmal, fondly called "Motivating Brother Nirmal" is a man of ideas. EXNORA was born out of his idea to improve the environment and ambience of Chennai. He believes that 'Every stumbling block should become a stepping stone to success. We have to create our own options.' A movement, called EXNORA grew around the pioneer, standing for Excellent, Novel and Radical ideas.

The man's energy and ideas limitless. His secret, if there is any, is that he prefers to act as a catalyst, and not as the principal agent, to stimulate the process of change. He empowers people with the knowledge and the means to first improve their own lives. There are different facets to his personality: he is an author, speaker, founder, writer, freelance journalist, trainer, social worker, advisor, achiever and an innovator - all rolled in one!.

"I feel that if an Indian who goes abroad or is travelling abroad can give back novel ideas which can be incorporated into the Indian way of life, he has given off something of himself to his motherland." Hats off to Mr. Nirmal! Thus Exnora has conveners in Singapore, Hong Kong, US, etc., who are in constant touch with the International Secretariat which is based at Chennai.

Nirmal's teams have glorified the garbage. What began as a waste management movement has spawned several avenues, including individual development. Exnora owes its tremendous success to community participation, flexibility, positive approach to problems, innovative solutions to common problems and the tireless efforts of committed individuals. Mr.Nirmal is the founder of the Fifth Pillar. He has also just founded 'I' Club & 'MA'. In 1995, India Today featured him as one of the 'Ten Angels of Change' who are transforming India. He is considered a world authority in 'People's Participation in Environmental Management.'

Nirmal grew up in an exceptionally talented and wealthy joint family at Kunrathur on the outskirts of Chennai city. His parents Mr. M.B. Basu and the late Mrs. Saraswathi Basu were renowned writers and editors of a number of magazines. Nirmal took his degree in commerce, but later he became an attorney by studying at night. In 1963, at the age of 20 he joined the Indian Overseas Bank and has risen through its ranks. As a young rural banker, he caught the management's attention by organising economic programmes to bring change in the villages.

By 1980 he was sent to Hong Kong for four years to work as a branch manager there. The branch's deposits shot up tenfold. As a manager of the bank, he introduced several novel and innovative schemes and the bank won the All India Best Branch Award in the very year of its inception. Once his house was burgled. When he lodged a complaint, a policeman came to visit him personally. He advised him to handover things without protest if there was another attempt. He told Nirmal: "Your life is more precious than all the valuables you have." The care and concern of the officer moved him.

There were a few major turning points in his life, which paved way for his success:

Cleaning up of Giriappa Road, Chennai.

He brought alive the project - Electricity for huts. Soon every hut received electricity at a subsidized cost of Rs. 2.50 per unit/- Thus he brought 'light' into the lives of the village of Sogandi.

Back home in India, he was posted at the Teynampet branch of I.O.B. housed in DMS (District Medical Services) campus. He organised a sweeping campaign in which the staff willingly participated and the campus became litter-free and green.

Nirmal firmly believes that, "Sparks of opportunities are spread wide over. One must learn to recognise these sparks". "Nirmal was about eight years old. He was cleaning the place single-handed." I caught him at it and remarked sarcastically: 'You have cleaned your house efficiently. Can you clean the streets?' Pat came the reply: 'Why not? I shall clean the streets. I shall clean up the whole country. Just wait till I grow up. I shall give you a clean world!' “No empty promise.” - reminisces Kalaimamani Dr. Vasavan, President, World Tamil Writers' Guild.

Thus the man born in 1943 and who is above 60 years old now, still bounces on with untiring energy. His philosophy is to be a cog in the wheel and never a spoke. He seems to have excelled not only in Exnora but he has struck gold whatever he touches. He is a mammoth source of inspiration for generations to come. According to Nirmal "cleanliness is next to godliness".