evidence: India has achieved a momentous public health feat – the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus. Maternal and neonatal tetanus is reduced to less than one case per 1 000 live births in all 675 districts of the country. WHO has validated this achievement adding India to the list of countries that have successfully battled this killer disease. [...] Maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) demonstrates India’s strong commitment and leadership that helped improve access to immunization, antenatal care services and skilled birth attendance in the most vulnerable populations – the poor, the remote and isolated communities where hygienic obstetric, postnatal practices and other health services were suboptimal or not accessible. [...] With India’s achievement, almost the entire WHO South-East Asia Region, barring a few districts in Indonesia, has now eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus.