In India’s villages, the place growth typically bypasses essentially the most weak, Dr Kalpana Sankar has introduced dignity, financial independence, and hope to hundreds of thousands of ladies.
A scientist by coaching and a changemaker by conviction, she left a authorities job to co-found ‘Hand in Hand India’, making use of scientific rigour and grassroots organising to construct a holistic rural growth mannequin.
Shining the highlight on Kalpana Sankar
Holding a doctorate in nuclear physics, Dr Sankar appeared destined for a distinguished educational profession. However a go to to the silk-weaving belt of Kancheepuram uncovered her to the brutal realities of kid labour and gender inequality. Moderately than turning away, she co-founded ‘Hand in Hand India’, which started with rescuing and educating bonded baby labourers and grew right into a multi-sectoral drive for rural growth.
Winner of the ‘TBI Ladies Changemaker’ class at Optum Presents The Higher India Showcase, supported by the M3M Basis, Kalpana’s story is as inspiring as it’s surprising.
Constructing collective energy by way of self-help
Dr Sankar’s mannequin for social change is each rigorous and humane. At its core lies the creation of self-help teams (SHGs) that not solely facilitate microfinance but additionally promote entrepreneurship, construct monetary literacy, and promote group solidarity.
Via this strategy, Hand in Hand India has enabled over 5,01,766 SHGs, supported 50,16,728 household enterprises, created 1.5 million jobs, and empowered greater than 2.2 million ladies throughout 500 villages in Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry.
Her initiatives have expanded globally too — replicated in Cambodia, Afghanistan, and South Africa — underscoring the common relevance of her imaginative and prescient. The organisation runs at present with worldwide partnerships together with UNDP, DFID, and several other state governments, proving the scalability of her mannequin.
Over time, her distinctive work has been recognised with prestigious accolades, together with the Nari Shakti Puraskar (2016), the World Award for Ladies Empowerment (2019) by UN Ladies and the Kingdom of Bahrain, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in Monetary Inclusion (2023) for her efforts to democratise financial alternative.
Whereas Kalpana was among the many winners at Optum Presents The Higher India Showcase, supported by the M3M Basis, we consider true recognition is what comes even after the applause. And so, we will likely be highlighting tales of the winners throughout classes for the subsequent few weeks.
Learn in regards to the different winners right here.
Edited by Khushi Arora
