The Good India: Small acts that mattered in 2025 | India News
There is an old saying, borrowed from Latin and later made popular in English: Nulla nuova, buona nuova- no news is good news. In 1640, writer James Howell noted that Italians believed no news was better than bad news. Even before that, King James I of England had said much the same thing.But 2025 did not feel like a year of “no news”. It was loud, crowded, and often heavy. Every day brought fresh alerts, arguments, and anxieties. And yet, in between all that noise, some moments did not ask for attention but earned it anyway. Small moments. Humane moments. Acts of kindness that reminded people that decency still exists.This is a look back at some of those moments. Not because they went viral, but because they felt real. Because they sounded like stories you would tell someone you love, late at night, to remind them that the world is not entirely broken.Note inside an auto
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It was past midnight. A woman was travelling alone. She had booked an auto, shared her live location, and done everything she was told would keep her safe. Still, she was tense until she reached her door. For many women in India, this is routine, not an exception. However, one such late-night ride in Bengaluru became something entirely different.A woman travelling in a Rapido auto noticed a handwritten note inside the vehicle. It read: “I’m a father/brother too. Your safety matters. Sit back comfortably.” The woman recorded a short video and shared it online. In it, she says that it was 12 at night, she was alone, and reading that note made her feel safe. Not watched. Not judged. Just safe. The auto driver did not speak on camera. He did not explain himself. The note spoke for him. It told passengers that he saw them as people, not fares. As someone’s daughter or sister, just as his own family was someone else’s responsibility.Women’s safety during late-night travel is a serious concern across Indian cities. Incidents of harassment make news regularly. But this moment showed something quieter: that trust can also be built in small ways. A piece of paper. A few honest words. No grand promise. Just reassurance.A sandwich at 2 am
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Another Bengaluru cab, another late night, but this time, a different kind of kindness. Content creator Yogita Rathore had just finished a long shoot and was heading to the airport for a 2 am flight. She was tired, hungry, and overwhelmed.Sitting in the back of an Uber, she spoke to a friend on the phone and broke down. She mentioned she had not eaten all day and did not know when she would get food.A few minutes later, the cab stopped. The driver said he’d be back. The woman thought he was taking a short break. Instead, he returned with a sandwich. In her video, the driver says calmly that he heard her talking about being hungry. He says that if his sister were hungry, he would feel bad too. The video ended with a simple message: people are carrying more than we can see, and a small act can change someone’s entire day.Online, viewers responded with warmth. Some said the moment was sweet and unexpected. Others admitted they would normally hesitate to accept food from a stranger, but understood why this felt different.A luxury car, and a shared joy
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Businessman Anand Mahindra shared a video that left a deep impact on him. In the clip, a luxury car owner notices a poor man trying to take a selfie with his vehicle.When the man sees the owner approaching, he panics and tries to leave. Instead of scolding him, the owner does something else. He takes photos of the man with the car. Then, he offers him a ride. The video was part of content creator Seenu Malik’s “365 good day challenge”.Mahindra wrote that the video reminded him that cars are not just machines. They carry emotion. Joy. Aspiration. As someone who works in the automobile industry, he said he hoped designers and engineers would remember that vehicles are meant to make people feel something, not just move them from one place to another.An unlikely guest at SRK’s Mannat
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Shah Rukh Khan lives in Mannat, a bungalow worth hundreds of crores. A short video showed a stray dog sleeping peacefully inside Mannat, which was under construction.The dog lay undisturbed near the entrance. No one chased it away. The clip was shared by a social media user who said that Khan’s staff feed stray dogs around the house every day. Fans flooded the comments. Some said this quiet compassion was why they admired the actor. Others said that if more people treated strays with care, fear would reduce.The video also came as the Supreme Court modified its earlier order directing civic bodies in Delhi-NCR to capture and confine stray dogs. The court said the directive was too harsh and instead asked authorities to sterilise, deworm, and release the dogs. It also called for designated feeding areas.‘What a lovely man’
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A Scottish YouTuber Hugh Abroad was standing by a busy road in Chennai, waiting for transport. A man on a two-wheeler stopped and asked where he was going. Hugh explained. The man said he was heading towards the city too and agreed to drop him part of the way.Before starting again, the man stopped at a juice shop. He asked Hugh what he would like. Hugh chose orange juice. The man paid, refusing to let Hugh cover the cost. The moment was simple. Hugh looked genuinely moved. “What a lovely man,” he said in the video.The clip crossed over 20 million views on Instagram. Many viewers said this was everyday India, kindness without reason. Several spoke about Indian hospitality, about welcoming strangers without calculation.Happy birthday, delivery partner
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A Zomato delivery executive arrived at a customer’s door, expecting another routine order. Instead, he walked into his own birthday celebration.The customers had arranged a cake and waited for him. As they sang, the delivery partner stood stunned, trying not to cry. He cut the cake there, in the middle of his workday. The video, shared on Instagram, struck a chord. The caption read: “Our Zomato delivery guy just got delivered with lots of love.” For someone who spends most days moving quickly from one door to another, this pause mattered. It said: we see you.Kids choose care over comfort
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In Noida, during peak summer, two young boys were filmed pushing a makeshift cart. Inside it lay their injured dog, weak after being attacked by another stray.The boys wore worn clothes and slippers. They had no visible resources. But they were taking their dog to an animal hospital. When asked, one boy said they had already been once and were returning for further treatment. Viewers praised the boys’ compassion. Some asked for contact details to help cover medical costs. Others said the children showed courage that many adults lacked.Son for a day
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Influencer Anish Bhagat spoke to the security guard in his society, 65-year-old Byas Ji. Byas Ji shared that his son had abandoned him. When asked about his wish, he hesitated, then said he wanted to visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya with his son.Bhagat decided to take him. He booked flight tickets and surprised Byas Ji. Together, they travelled to Ayodhya. Byas Ji prayed at the temple. He hugged Bhagat, overwhelmed. Bhagat later spoke about the responsibility children have towards ageing parents. The video received wide appreciation. Many said it made their day. Others said it reminded them of family bonds often taken for granted.Rs 20 Mangalsutra
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In Maharashtra, a 93-year-old farmer named Nivrutti Shinde walked into a jewellery shop with his wife Shantabai. He had Rs 1,120 saved. He wanted to buy her a mangalsutra.The couple were on a pilgrimage to Pandharpur for Ashadhi Ekadashi when they stopped at the shop. Initially, staff assumed they needed help. Then they heard his reason. The jeweller accepted only Rs 20 and treated the rest as blessings. The video of the moment went viral. People online were moved by the couple’s bond and the shopkeeper’s gesture.India always welcomes
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An Australian woman shared a video of her daughter Gaia joining an Indian family’s picnic. One moment, they were walking past. Next, the child was eating with them. A text overlay on the video adds a playful note: “When your kid crashes an Indian family lunch like she’s been invited,” capturing the effortless warmth with which the family welcomed the child. The response was emotional. Viewers spoke about Indian hospitality. About welcoming strangers. About Atithi Devo Bhava, the belief that a guest is like God. It was a small moment. But it travelled far.2025 did not lack problems. But it also did not lack kindness. These moments did not fix systems. They did not solve big issues. But they softened something. They reminded people that empathy still shows up in autos, cabs, streets, and homes.
