Ansuma Basumatary: Put Up A Stub First Draft

2026-04-07T19:47:28Z

Put Up A Stub First Draft

New page

{{short description|Indian social entrepreneur working in sanitation, founder of LooCafe}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abhishek Nath
| image = Abhishek Nath.png
| caption = Nath in 2019
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|10|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hyderabad, India]]
| education = [[Hotel Management]]
| occupation = [[CEO]], [[LooCafe]] & Ixora Group
| known_for = Founding [[LooCafe]]<br/>and working in [[sanitation|WASH]] in India
}}
'''Abhishek Nath''' is an Indian [[Businessperson|businessman]], [[Social entrepreneurship|social entrepreneur]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharya |first=Ahana |date=2022-10-05 |title=Loocafé Founder Abhishek Nath shares how they are changing India’s public toilet scene |url=https://thecsrjournal.in/loocafe-founder-abhishek-nath-shares-how-they-are-changing-indias-public-toilet-scene/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=The CSR Journal |language=en-GB}}</ref> He is the founder of [[LooCafe]], an India-based organization focused on WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), environmental sanitation, and waste management.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharya |first=Ahana |date=2022-10-05 |title=Loocafé Founder Abhishek Nath shares how they are changing India’s public toilet scene |url=https://thecsrjournal.in/loocafe-founder-abhishek-nath-shares-how-they-are-changing-indias-public-toilet-scene/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=The CSR Journal |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The parent company of [[LooCafe]], Ixora Corporate Services, which Nath also founded, operates in urban sanitation and [[facility management]] for public spaces.

Nath serves as the chair of the [[All India Management Association]]'s Young Leaders Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YLC Young Leaders Talk {{!}} Abhishek Nath |url=https://www.aima.in/management-tv/details/ylc-young-leaders-talk-abhishek-nath |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.aima.in}}</ref> He has collaborated with the [[Swachh Bharat Mission]] and leads a private company involved in [[Swachh Survekshan]] initiatives.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhaskar |first=Anisha Bhatia, Sonia |date=2018-07-26 |title=Hyderabad To Go Swachh With 130 Loo Cafes, Equipped With Smart Toilets, Cafes And ATM Services |url=https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/hyderabad-go-swachh-130-loo-cafes-equipped-smart-toilets-cafes-atm-services-23313/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=NDTV-Dettol Banega Swasth Swachh India |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Movement for sanitation and hygiene ==
After leaving his roles at [[Johnson Controls]] and [[Taj Hotels]], Abhishek Nath began working in urban sanitation. He founded Ixora Corporate Services (ICS), a facility management company, and became involved in the [[Swachh Bharat Mission]] for urban sanitation work with heritage sites, such as the Charminar.<ref>{{Cite web |last=India |first=The Hans |date=2018-01-04 |title=GHMC takes special steps to keep Charminar surroundings clean |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hyderabad-Tab/2018-01-03/GHMC-takes-special-steps-to-keep-Charminar-surroundings-clean/349731 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.thehansindia.com |language=en}}</ref>

He first noticed the failing structures of brick and mortar [[Public toilet]]s and their pay to use system, which did not work out due to operations costs and high philanthropic investment needs.<ref name=":0" />

Then established [[LooCafe]] where he created a structure of a public toilet that was prefabricated, free for toilet use, attached to a [[Point of sale]] (café) built inside a shipping container.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nitnaware |first=Himanshu |date=2020-12-07 |title=Hyderabad Man Turns Shipping Containers Into Solar 'Loocafes' With Stink Sensors |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/244124/hyderabad-startup-loocafe-ixora-fm-abhishek-nath-ghmc-public-toilet-innovation-him16/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> The model also supports social change, as it helps urbanization of street hawkers into established businesses and creates employment directly through its structure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kosuru |first=Amrutha |date=2022-05-07 |title=28 Toilet Tales highlight entrepreneurial dedication to transform public toilets |url=https://newsmeter.in/hyderabad/28-toilet-tales-highlight-entrepreneurial-dedication-to-transform-public-toilets-695170 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=newsmeter.in |language=en}}</ref>

After founding LooCafe in 2018<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-05-23 |title=Loo Café: Luxurious washrooms with ATM in Hyderabad |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/loo-caf-luxurious-washrooms-with-atm-in-city/articleshow/64282784.cms |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> in Hyderabad, he has worked on expanding their operations into sanitation technology,<ref>{{Cite news |title=How smart tech is leaving public loos smelling of roses |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-smart-tech-is-leaving-public-loos-smelling-of-roses/articleshow/73197828.cms |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> waste management, and building circular economy models.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-10-12 |title=Hyderabad: Going to this restroom will be a futuristic experience |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/going-to-this-restroom-will-be-a-futuristic-experience/articleshow/71547663.cms |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

In 2025, Nath launched ReFlow Toilets, a sanitation infrastructure initiative focused on district-level deployments that promotes Bio-Circular Resource Technology (B-CRT).

Currently, the company counts 400 such structures across India. With operations set up in Hyderabad,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kims Hospitals |title=LooCafe in KIMS Hospital Featurette |url=https://assets.kimshospitals.com/docs/production/15_1688387311.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-16 |title=India’s first exclusive dog park comes up in Hyderabad |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-s-first-exclusive-dog-park-comes-up-in-hyderabad/story-xEjx2abiZyyd43e9W6GjQJ.html |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=S |first=Lekshmi Priya |date=2018-05-24 |title=Hyderabad Is Getting 'Smart' Toilets with Swanky Cafés & ATMs Attached! |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/142779/loo-cafe-hyderabad-smart-toilets-swanky-cafes-atms-attached/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> Srinagar,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paitandy |first=Priyadarshini |date=2021-05-05 |title=Comfort stop: Hyderabad-based Loo Café makes its way to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka |url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/the-relief-factory/article34487431.ece |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Bengaluru, Chandigarh,<ref>{{Cite news |last=The Tribune |title=Chandigarh all set to get LooCafes |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/city-all-set-to-get-loo-cafe-405584}}</ref> Mumbai,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |date=2023-12-01 |title=Bihar: Loo Cafe to Grace Patna at Six Locations with Modern Toilet Facilities |url=https://patnapress.com/bihar-loo-cafe-to-grace-patna-at-six-locations-with-modern-toilet-facilities/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Patna Press |language=en-US}}</ref> Chennai,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kandavel |first=Sangeetha |date=2022-05-12 |title=Chennai’s first free luxury toilet with a cafe attached opened at Indira Nagar MRTS |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/chennais-first-free-luxury-toilet-with-a-cafe-attached-opened-at-indira-nagar-mrts/article65408393.ece |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Patna,<ref>{{Cite news |title=LooCafe will be built in Patna |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/patna/news/loo-cafe-will-be-built-in-patna-on-the-lines-of-mumbai-132218492.html |work=Dainik Bhaskar}}</ref> Pune, Indore, Mohali.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-23 |title=Hyderabad Gets Swanky Washrooms That Have ATMs Too |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/hyderabad-gets-swanky-washrooms-that-have-atms-too-345943.html |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
[[File:WASH Stewardship award.jpg|thumb|Abhishek Nath receiving the WASH Stewardship Award by [[K. T. Rama Rao]] former Minister of MA&UD, IT&EC|alt=Abhishek Nath receiving the WASH Stewardship Award by K. T. Rama Rao former Minister of MA&UD, IT&EC|border]]
In 2016, he won Cleaning leader of the Year award by Clean and Green India.<ref>{{Cite news |last=AP News |title=The first edition of clean green India 2016 commences |url=https://www.apnnews.com/the-first-edition-of-clean-green-india-2016-commences-today/}}</ref> In 2019, he won [[Confederation of Indian Industry]] awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CII Awards - Home |url=https://www.innovationawards.ciiinnovation.in/Winners-2019.php |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.innovationawards.ciiinnovation.in}}</ref> In 2020, his work was featured by the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP) as a best practice<ref>{{Cite web |last=UNDP |title=Practices: LooCafe |url=https://grid.undp.org.in/practices/9o3izjHtq741VS}}</ref> In the 2022 edition of InkWASH, he was awarded with the WASH Stewardship Award, In the 2023 edition, he was a featured speaker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=INK@WASH Goa-2023 |url=https://washinnovationhub.in/inkwash-goa/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=washinnovationhub.in}}</ref> His work was also a featured Innovation in the WASH book of Innovations.<ref>{{Cite book |title=WASH Book of Innovations |publisher=Administrative Staff College of India}}</ref> His work has been claimed to have brought about reforms in the [[Public toilet]] and sanitation space using sustainability and technology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dev |first=Sudipta |date=2020-01-08 |title=How technology is powering sustainable public toilets in Telangana |url=https://www.expresscomputer.in/startup/how-technology-is-powering-sustainable-public-toilets-in-telangana/45072/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Express Computer |language=en-US}}</ref> Currently, [[LooCafe]]'s are India's most widespread public toilet models.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Liffy |date=2023-11-21 |title=World Toilet Day: changing the narrative |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/world-toilet-day-changing-the-narrative/article67557113.ece |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
[[File:LooCafe winning CII's Most Innovative Company Award.jpg|thumb|LooCafé — Ixora corporate services has been selected as the most Innovative company in services category Nationally — CII]]
[[File:Abhishek Nath LooCafe.jpg|thumb|Abhishek Nath, founder of LooCafe, standing in front of the LooCafe logo]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nath, Abhishek}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Indian businesspeople]]

Abhishek Nath - Revision history

Ansuma Basumatary: Put Up A Stub First Draft