Uttar Pradesh

Abhinav Singh quit his high paying corporate job in England to start gerbera farming on his ancestral land at Chilbila village in Uttar Pradesh

Malti started driving an autorickshaw in Lucknow in 2013 when there was no other woman doing this job. Here’s the story of how she reached this point in her life.

Akash Singh, the 21-year-old founder of Energinee Innovations, recycles waste from temples in Delhi NCR to make eco-friendly idols.

Punam Rai from Varanasi is the true face of courage. Despite being left paralysed for 15 years, she is empowering thousands of girls today with her organisation Bindeshwar Rai Foundation, wherein she teaches girls taekwondo and painting.

One of India's most hardworking conservationists, Arunima Singh has won the NatWest Group Earth Heroes Save the Species Award 2021 for her exemplary efforts towards saving turtles, tortoises, crocodilians and Gangetic dolphins.

The Adivasi women of Bijpur village, Uttar Pradesh, are thankful to Renu Kumari who, at the age of 26, has already trained 100 of them in tailoring courses at her training centre.

Reeta Kaushik, from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, has fought casteism at every turn. Having completed her post-graduation with great difficulty, she started Samudayik Kalyan Evam Vikas Sansthan (SKVS) that aids in vocational and skill training and has taken mainstream education to thousands of girls in villages.

Uttar Pradesh-based Geeta Singh started the Gonard Farmers Producers Company (FPO) in 2019 with an investment of Rs 1 lakh and 100 farmers. Today, it helps struggling farmers sell organic, value-added products such as Makka biscuit, Makka laddu, custard oil, and a variety of pickles like potato, amla and garlic.

Ratna Café was established in 1948 by Jaggilal Gupta, a former resident of Mathura who moved to Chennai. Steeped in nostalgia, the franchise is known for its sambar that is drunk by the litre.

Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar has been considered one of the most backward regions in India. But thanks to the efforts of these girls, it is now emerging as a model example of community-led social transformation.