What started as one young man’s effort to clean a polluted river has now caught international attention. Bittu Tabahi, a 20-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, has received a job offer from Boyan Slat, the Dutch founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup.
Bittu, whose real name is Surendra Singh Choudhary, became popular online after videos of him cleaning the heavily polluted Ajnar River went viral. He has been removing plastic waste, algae and accumulated debris from the river, often working by himself. His efforts have now reached Slat, whose organisation works on solutions to tackle plastic pollution in oceans and rivers.
And Slat’s response to Bittu’s work was remarkably simple. “Come work for us.”
Who Is Bittu Tabahi?
Bittu Tabahi is the social media name of Surendra Singh Choudhary, a 20-year-old from Biaora in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district. He has spent months working to clean polluted stretches of the Ajnar River.
His videos show him removing plastic, algae and other waste from the water and surrounding areas. His work began in January this year and gradually gained attention online. According to the Hindustan Times report, digital content creator KR Talks said Bittu had spent around ₹30,000 on the cleanup project. The effort was not immediately welcomed by everyone. Bittu faced criticism from some people who questioned whether his clean-up videos were primarily being made for social media attention.
He continued anyway. His before-and-after visuals eventually started drawing wider attention. The transformation of the river also brought recognition from prominent personalities, including industrialist Anand Mahindra.
Boyan Slat Notices Bittu’s River Cleanup
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Bittu’s work has now caught the attention of someone who has spent years working on the global plastic pollution problem. Boyan Slat is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation developing and scaling solutions to remove plastic from oceans and prevent it from reaching them through rivers. The organisation says its mission includes both cleaning existing ocean plastic and stopping new plastic from entering the oceans.
Come work for us @Surendr75950620
— Boyan Slat (@BoyanSlat) September 4, 2026
Slat came across a post on X featuring Bittu’s work. The post described the 20-year-old Indian man and highlighted his efforts to clean the heavily polluted Ajnar River. The post also included before-and-after images showing the difference following his cleanup efforts.
Slat responded with just four words: “Come work for us.” The short response quickly became another talking point around Bittu’s story.
Social Media Reacts To The Job Offer
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Slat’s comment immediately attracted reactions from other users on X. Many saw the response as a major opportunity for Bittu. One person wrote, “Wow, this is huge for the boy. Hope you’re serious about this! Go get him.” Another user commented, “Holy opportunity of a lifetime, extremely lucky, and I’m so jealous.”
The reactions reflected the surprise around the development. Bittu had been working on a local environmental problem in Madhya Pradesh. His efforts have now brought him to the attention of an international organisation focused on the same larger issue.
Bittu’s Efforts Had Earlier Won Anand Mahindra’s Praise
This young man from Biaora, M.P, was criticised for claiming to have cleaned parts of a river just in order to gain social media views.
Well, we usually complain that social media rewards the trivial rather than the meaningful
So If a desire for ‘likes’ can become a force for… pic.twitter.com/ARgEhphuQN
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 30, 2026
This is not the first time Bittu’s river-cleaning efforts have received attention from a well-known personality. Earlier in March, Anand Mahindra praised his work after Bittu faced criticism for allegedly using the cleanup for social media views. Anand Mahindra wrote:
“This young man from Biaora, M.P, was criticised for claiming to have cleaned parts of a river just in order to gain social media views. Well, we usually complain that social media rewards the trivial rather than the meaningful. So if a desire for ‘likes’ can become a force for good that’s fine with me. Bittu Tabahi from Biaora is my #MondayMotivation.”
The post helped bring further attention to Bittu’s work and the condition of the Ajnar River.
The Ocean Cleanup’s Mission
The offer from Slat also carries significance because of the work done by The Ocean Cleanup. Founded by Slat, the organisation develops technologies aimed at removing plastic from oceans and intercepting plastic in rivers before it reaches the sea. Its official website identifies Slat as its founder and CEO and says the organisation aims to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.
That makes Bittu’s work a natural fit with the broader environmental mission of the organisation. However, Slat’s social media comment does not by itself provide details about a formal job offer, role, location or employment terms. For now, the public development is his invitation to Bittu to “Come work for us.”
From Cleaning A River To A Global Opportunity
Bittu’s journey is notable because it began with a very local problem. He saw a polluted river and decided to do something about it himself. His efforts attracted criticism, social media attention and eventually praise. Now, they have caught the eye of an international environmental organisation.
Whether the invitation from Slat turns into a formal opportunity remains to be seen. But the response itself shows how far Bittu’s work has travelled. What began with one young man cleaning the Ajnar River has now opened a completely new possibility for him.
Conclusion
Bittu Tabahi’s story has taken another interesting turn. After spending months cleaning the polluted Ajnar River, the 20-year-old has received an invitation from Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup.
For Bittu, who started by tackling pollution in his own surroundings, the attention from a global environmental organisation could become an important new chapter. For now, his river-cleaning efforts continue to show how individual action can attract attention far beyond its original setting.
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