Kiranjit Kaur Jhunir
Kiranjit Kaur is an independent journalist based in Punjab. She has spеnt thе last 7 yеars еngaging with 14,000 familiеs affеctеd by farmеr and laborеr suicidеs. In hеr rolе as a Rеsеarch Assistant, shе significantly contributеd to a CWDS survеy focusеd on thе socio-еconomic status of thеsе familiеs, particularly dеlving into its impact on womеn and children.
Meet Sukhpal Kaur, the bee queen of Punjab
Faced with her husband’s debilitating accident, Sukhpal Kaur transformed their small honey business from 50 to 550 hive boxes, creating a sustainable livelihood for her family and becoming a leading figure in beekeeping.
A Punjab village where doorplates bear women’s names
In Manak Khana village of Punjab’s Bathinda district, sarpanch Seshandeep Kaur leads an initiative to install nameplates on houses with the names of the eldest woman in the family as part of a broader effort for women’s empowerment.
Punjab farmer transforms trash into treasure
Gurmeet Singh from Burj Rathi village transforms discarded waste, especially old rubber slippers, into intricate works of art and toys, showing how garbage can be reimagined as a resource.
Champions on wheels defy odds to conquer world
Once confined by severe spinal cord injuries from road accidents, Anjali Thakur and Vidya Kumari have shattered barriers to become international para-athletes with support from Chandigarh Spinal Rehab centre.
Bamboo schools transform education for migrant workers’ kids in Punjab
Punjab’s eco-friendly bamboo schools address the pressing issue of migrant workers’ children missing out on education due to safety concerns and the lack of nearby institutions.
Elders trade thumbprints for signatures in twilight of their lives
Bebe Bapu School in Punjab’s Bathinda district shows that education has no age limit as nearly 80 elders learn to read, sign their names and do basic maths under the guidance of a 28-year-old teacher.
Dalit woman leads fellow caste villagers to land ownership in Punjab
Charanjit Kaur and other Dalit families from Gharachon village in Sangrur district won the right to bid for reserved panchayat land, despite systemic caste barriers and police action.
Celebrating Teeyan in Punjab
Here is a festival for women where they celebrate through gatherings, dance and customs that have endured despite the passage of time.
These two women are singing Punjab’s past into present
Virpal Kaur and Pawandeep Kaur from Khosa Kotla, dedicated to preserving Punjab’s folk music, have collected and documented hundreds of traditional songs to ensure the rhythms of Punjab’s past resonate with future generations.
Village battles cancer as Punjab’s environmental crisis deepens
The village of Sirsiwala in Punjab's Mansa district is grappling with an alarming rise in cancer cases linked to groundwater pollution and intensive pesticide use.
This rural sports academy is shaping champions in Punjab
Amol Academy, founded by Sant Gurmeet Singh in 2017 at Khosa village in Punjab’s Moga district, has transformed the lives of aspiring athletes by providing modern training facilities and promoting hard work through sports.
Patiala sisters balance school, goat farming to reap success
These two teenagers have turned a family need for goat milk into a successful business in Bahadurgarh, Punjab. Starting with a single goat, they now manage 65 goats of various breeds, producing milk, ghee and paneer.
She stands as an inspiration amid Punjab’s farm tragedy
After her father, father-in-law and husband died by suicide due to the burden of agricultural debt, this 45-year-old mother from Ralla village in Mansa district has dedicated her life to empower those facing similar hardships.
Pandemic-spurred self-help group is making huge strides in Punjab
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Veerpal Kaur from Sem Kalan village founded Shagun Ajivika, selling handmade traditional items, and the group now includes over 15 women who make products that celebrate Punjab’s legacy.
Her rural oasis of green lends respite to Ludhiana
Agripreneur Ramandeep Kaur Sandhu’s dream project – a plant nursery in Birmi village near Ludhiana – offers over 1,000 varieties of plants and provides employment opportunities to villagers.
Empowering Punjab’s rural women
The essence of the rural employment guarantee scheme lay obscured in many villages of Punjab, veiled by the shadows of ignorance. But a women's collective is helping to empower beneficiaries across nearly 3,000 villages.
A Punjab college for girls where every student is a teacher
Baba Aya Singh Riarki College in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district stands as a beacon of empowerment, challenging stereotypes and showcasing how girls are capable of achieving remarkable feats.
It takes a village to raise a child
In the rural landscape of Punjab, children from different government schools gather in a village to participate in Bal Mela or children's fair, an initiative of teachers to promote the unseen talent in rural children.