Guest Contributor

The Pali Hill Residents’s Association began with eight women in the 90s who dreamt of transforming their neighbourhood into a cleaner, greener, and safer home. The members recall how they achieved this award-winning transformation over two decades.

Two sisters Namita Rawat Negi and Manisha Gosain in Dehradun left their life in the city to start a gooseberry and mango farm. Today, their lush hillside farmland yields amla, mangoes, brinjals, tomatoes, and lemons — earning them lakhs while reviving sustainable farming in the region.

When the pandemic hit, Amita Naik didn’t panic — she pivoted. From selling raw milk to launching her own dairy brand, this Goan woman shows how resilience, training, and local resources can turn a simple farm into a flourishing business.

Schizophrenia is often regarded as the most severe among all mental illnesses, but people living with it are not hostile, aggressive, or “wild”, as they are often believed to be. There are many ways we can build individual and community support for those living with the disorder.

After the sudden passing of her husband 30 years ago, Swati Naik was left in the dark. She picked herself up and began to shoulder financial responsibilities and raise her children by cleaning and packing parcels at the post office.

From beedi workers in Madhya Pradesh to tea garden labourers in Bengal and fisherfolk in Tamil Nadu, three grassroots leaders are helping women reclaim dignity, rights, and safety at work.

Development Alternatives’ Urja Mandala empowers rural women to manage solar mini-grids, create jobs, cut 100 tonnes of CO2 yearly, & drive climate action.

Bandana Jain fell in love with cardboard in art school. Today, from her Vasai studio, she sculpts life-sized installations from discarded boxes — and trains rural women to turn waste into art, income, and dignity.

When tragedy struck Pahalgam, 16-year-old Rubeena — lovingly called Kashmir’s ‘Rabbit Girl’ — opened her heart and home to frightened tourists. With courage beyond her years, she helped strangers find safety, offering quiet kindness in a time of fear.

Manohari Doss, Prabha Yadav, and Kalavapalli Lavannya are leading powerful grassroots movements to advance Dalit women’s rights, dignity, and leadership across India.