Stories
How this 15-year-old Odisha girl ‘sprinted’ to a weightlifting record
Preetismita Bhoi made headlines at this year’s IWF World Youth Championships. She tells us how she moved from sprinting to weightlifting due to her coach’s perseverance, and the inspiration she derived from her idol Mirabai Chanu.
Maharashtra village revamps ‘kurma ghar’ to ensure period dignity
In a small tribal village in Maharashtra, a community-led revolution aims to dispel the prevailing stigma around menstruation. The menstruation huts, once a symbol of shame, are slowly becoming a space for empowerment here.
How a struggling widow became a micro-entrepreneur
Widowed young, Basanti Nahaka of Odisha was financially struggling till she joined a producer group. With support from her group, she extracts and sells mustard oil in her village and other places, which improves her finances.
From housewife to e-rickshaw driver, Kashmiri woman rides toward financial freedom
Kaunsar Jan turned heads when she decided to become an e-rickshaw driver, navigating the bustling streets of Srinagar, breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and embarking on a journey towards financial independence.
Bihar’s viral teacher inspires millions with her learning methods
Khushboo Kumari, a 31-year-old government teacher from a small village in Bihar, is known for her creative teaching methods that have gone viral online. She shares her experience with Village Square.
Young tribal woman transforms farming in rain-scarce Malkangiri
Muni Madkami has empowered her village and surrounding communities to reclaim their livelihoods through agriculture, effectively curbing large-scale migration to cities for work.
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.
How one woman became the water guardian of a Gujarat village
Payal Ben Vikram Bhai Patel, a ‘bhujal jankar’ in Bhunav, Gujarat, is transforming her village through grassroots water conservation efforts. Overcoming challenges, she educates and empowers her community to secure a sustainable water future.
Odisha trans woman battles stigma to serve humanity
Braving multiple odds, trans woman Chinmayi Das has risen to be known as a figure of compassion in Odisha. She provided dignity in death by cremating over 400 Covid-19 victims, and her organisation continues to work for the disadvantaged.
‘Kantha Didi’ takes Bengal’s age-old art to global recognition
Meet ‘Kantha Didi’ Tajkira Begum, a self-professed go-getter who has sewed together a narrative of personal resilience, professional excellence and social inclusion using Bengal’s revered kantha stitch.
Her producers’ group helps this Assamese farmer earn more
Somina Khatun followed conventional practices of farming. After becoming a member of a self-help group and subsequently a farmer producers’ group, she learned about sustainable ways of farming that boosts her yields and income.
A mother’s determination brings mid-day meals to children in Odisha village
The lack of an anganwadi centre and mid-day meal programme posed challenges for children’s education and nutrition in Kharkhari village until housewife Jyotsna Mohanta took matters into her own hands
Tripura farmer champions organic agriculture in her tribal village
Hailing from a farming family, Hanna Debbarma is set on making the farmers in her tribal village understand the benefits of nutrition gardens and organic farming. Her advocacy is transforming many households.
This Bengal woman shows there’s money in honey
Chaya Mondal of Tripura Nagar village in West Bengal defied gender norms and took to beekeeping after helping the men in her family rear honeybees. She now runs a successful business through the sale of honey and related products.
‘More than my food business, it’s about uplifting my community’
A training programme prompted her to start her own ragi-based food business. After a successful start, she has expanded the business and now trains other women in her village for better livelihood.
From tribal roots to a fashion icon: Jharkhand model redefines beauty standards
Anjel Mareena Tirkey from Jharkhand has broken the societal norms of her conservative Oraon tribal community to realise her dream of pursuing a career in the modelling and entertainment industry.
Meet the woman who walks many a mile to deliver mail
Working at a post office where her late husband had held the same job, Alaka Mahato, a mother of three, walks every day to a few villages in Bengal to deliver mail, happy to carry on his legacy.
From child bride to award winner, Rajasthan farmer breaks barriers
Married off as a teen, Sagar Kunwar of Pali in Rajasthan has evolved over the years to become the chairperson of an all-woman producer company, winning awards for spearheading organic farming.
Manipur’s Naga entrepreneur champions indigenous farming practices
From using local berries in chocolates to rewilding and revitalising tribal forests, this confectioner is championing indigenous food systems in Manipur.
She quit a cushy job to revive tribal foods
To ensure tribal foods from vanishing and to let non-tribes enjoy the goodness of the same, Aruna Tirkey quit a comfortable consultancy job, to run a restaurant exclusively for tribal foods.