Starting with the HC judge, more than 2-petitioners have objected to the government's pet AadhAar scheme. The decision of the privacy case stemmed from a debate in the Aadhaar case
The recent victory for privacy would not have been possible were it not for a slew of activists who filed petitions as early as 2012 opposing Aadhaar. Though retired Karnataka HC judge KS Puttaswamy fired the first shot, many others have joined the battle since then.
On Thursday, they won a brief victory when privacy was accorded a fundamental right by the Supreme Court.
A brief profile of the key petitioners who were in the forefront in the fight for privacy.
Bezwada Wilson
One of the the founders and national convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA), Wilson has been a champion of human rights and has campaigned for the eradication of manual scavenging. His work has been recognised by the Ashoka Foundation, and he also is a recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Shanta Sinha
An anti-child labour activist, Sinha's efforts have found international fame. A professor of Political Science at Hyderabad Central University, Sinha headed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights for two consecutive terms (3 years each); and was the first chairperson at The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) which was set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 —passed in the Parliament in December 2005. She is a recipient of the the Padma Shri (1998), and the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2003) among others.
Major General SG Vombatkere
According to his blog, Vombatkere retired as major general after a 35-year-long service in the Indian military. Since then he has engaged himself in social work, and is member of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). An associate professor at the University of Iowa, the United States, Vombatkere coordinates and lectures a course on Science, Technology and Sustainable Development for under-graduate students from the US and Canada.
Aruna Roy
An Indian political and social scientist, Chennai-born Roy founded the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) (Workers and Peasants Strength Union) along with Shankar Singh, Nikhil Dey and many others. Roy is known for her critique of the "narrow Hindutva definition of nationalism, leaving no room for tolerance and pluralism" and her work for the vulnerable sections of society. Roy has also been a member of the national advisory committee headed by Sonia Gandhi — set up by the then UPA-1 government.
The other petitioners who have since then come forward include activists, data scientists, retired army personnel, IIT alumnus, award-winning journalist among others like Binoy Visman, Vickram Crishna, Colonel Mathew Thomas, Kalyani Menon-Sen, Anupam Saraph, Nagarjuna, JT D'souza, MK Pai, Nachiket Udupa, Ankita Anand, Nikhil Dey, Shankar Singh, Vineet Bhambhu, Nikhil Shenoy, among others.
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 "(Clockwise from top left) Bezwada Wilson, Bezwada Wilson, Major General SG Vombatkere and Aruna Roy")
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