'Compostwali' Poonam Bir Kasturi passes away at 61

Poonam Bir Kasturi, Founder and Designer of Daily Dump, a startup making composting products, passed away on Thursday, May 9, at the age of 61.

Popularly known as “compostwali”, Kasturi was a social entrepreneur who worked towards revolutionising waste management in India. She dedicated herself tirelessly for 18 years to shift mindsets regarding waste and simplify the process of composting.

“So sorry to hear of the passing of Poonam Bir Sethi, pioneering waste management expert & founder of the Daily Dump. A great loss for Bengaluru and for all those who are committed to decentralised & sustainable waste management,” said Uma Mahadevan Dasgupta, an IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka.

Many other internet users also expressed their grief over the news.

Recently Kasturi, while attending SheSparks 2024, also emphasised an efficient recycling approach, particularly as urbanisation accelerates. She also spoke about the importance of community involvement and active participation in the waste recycling process to achieve success. 

"I need your help to keep the story of wasting less, composting more, and buying sensibly alive," she said.

While talking about the importance of waste management in the country, she highlighted that a lack of awareness, perception, and behaviour towards waste in India is the reason behind the subdued demand.

“That 60% that is in your bins is your responsibility. It needs to become non-negotiable, either through government policy or through our collective awareness and action…. you can create a viable ecology around this. So, not today, but perhaps tomorrow, with everybody's action, we can make that happen," she said.

Kasturi, a graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, started Daily Dump in 2006. The startup makes composting products designed to change mindsets around waste and the ease of composting in India. It offers a range of products, including composters, composting accessories, gardening products, books, and zero-waste products like bags and combs.

In 2015, Poonam Bir Kasturi was named the ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year for India’, by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, a sister organisation of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation.