India, Sept. 29 -- I still recall the moment in 2014 when Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi picked up a broom and swept a Delhi street. It was far more than symbolism: It was a powerful reminder that the mission of a clean India cannot rest solely on the government but must be embraced by every citizen.

A clean India is a shared responsibility, and the true strength of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has been how it has turned cleanliness into a people's movement. It has turned every citizen into a safai mitra (friend of cleanliness) - from school students to homemakers, shopkeepers to farm and factory workers. Millions picked up the broom, transforming cleanliness from a government programme into a personal pledge of dignity, health, an...