Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar

The Ladies’ Wing of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a business and professional women’s organisation.

India’s Kutch region is home to some truly amazing art and craft traditions that have been handed down over generations. One woman from the local Rabari community has been instrumental in taking these traditions to the world.

Smt. Jankidevi Bajaj, a strong proponent of the Gandhian way of life, propagated rural upliftment through cottage industries. A self-made woman, she actively participated in the freedom struggle and was known to be charitable and frugal, and resolute yet compassionate.

Josephine Selvaraj is ensuring empowerment of women in rural India using bee-farming and bee-keeping.

Chetna Gala Sinha is the founder of Mann Deshi Bank, a rural financial institution run by women, for women. Sinha is working towards women empowerment by ensuring financial independence of rural women

From education to entrepreneurship, Hirbaiben Lobi's efforts to improve the socio-economic status of her community is proof that obstacles like illiteracy and poverty are easily overcome in the pursuit of rural empowerment and upliftment.