Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Her career in the Hindi film industry has spanned over 160 films, mostly within independent and neorealist parallel cinema, though her work extended to mainstream films as well as a number of international projects. One of India's most acclaimed actresses, Azmi is known for her portrayals of distinctive, often unconventional female characters across several genres. She has won a record five National Film Awards for Best Actress, in addition to six Filmfare Awards and several international accolades. The Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 1998 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
Ela Ramesh Bhatt was an Indian cooperative organiser, activist and Gandhian, who founded the Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA) in 1972, and served as its general secretary from 1972 to 1996. She was the chancellor of the Gujarat Vidyapith from 7 March 2015 to 19 October 2022. A lawyer by training, Bhatt was a part of the international labour, cooperative, women, and micro-finance movements and won several national and international awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1977), Right Livelihood Award (1984) for "helping home-based producers to organise for their welfare and self-respect" and the Padma Bhushan (1986).
Viswanathan Shanta was an Indian oncologist and the chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. She is best known for her efforts towards making quality and affordable cancer treatment accessible to all patients in her country. She dedicated herself to the mission of organizing care for cancer patients, study of the disease, research on its prevention and cure, spreading awareness about the disease, and developing specialists and scientists in various subspecialties of oncology. Her work won her several awards, including the Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award given by the Government of India.
Mamidipudi Venkatarangayya was a writer, scholar, and political scientist from Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 1968 by the Indian Government.
Deep Joshi is an Indian social worker and NGO activist and a recipient of the Magsaysay award in 2009. He is recognised for his leadership in bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in India. He co-founded a non-profit organisation, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), of which he was the Executive Director till 2007. He was awarded the 2009 Magsaysay award for Community Leadership for his work for "development of rural communities". He is also a recipient of the civilian honour of Padma Shri.
Sunita Kohli is an Indian interior designer, architectural restorer and furniture manufacturer. She had restored and decorated Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House Colonnade (1985–1989), the Prime Minister's Office and Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
Renana Jhabvala is an Indian social worker based in Ahmedabad, India, who has been active for decades in organising women into organisations and trade unions in India, and has been extensively involved in policy issues relating to poor women and the informal economy. She is best known for her long association with the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), India, and for her writings on issues of women in the informal economy.
The Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF)is an Indian non-government organisation (NGO) established in 1981 in memory of educationist and historian Prof. Mamidipudi Venkataraangaiya by prof shantha sinha The MVF began as a research institution on issues relating to social transformation. Today, the Foundation is building the capacities of community in rural and urban areas for abolition of child labour by universalizing social education. It uses an "area-based" approach instead of a target-based approach. The area-based approach concentrates on protecting the rights of every children and ensuring all of them attend full-time formal education. It draws plans for children to withdraw from work and prepare them to be integrated into schools. Schemes were also designed to ensure that children are retained in school and will continue to do so without any disruption.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is an Indian statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. The Commission works under the aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI. The Commission became operational on 5 March 2007.
Mithu Alur is the founder chairperson of The Spastic Society of India – now rechristened ADAPT – Able Disable All People Together. She is an educator, disability rights activist, researcher, writer and published author on issues concerning people with disability in India.
Jeelani Bano is an Indian writer of Urdu literature. She was honored by the Government of India, in 2001, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Vanaja Iyengar was an Indian mathematician, educationist and the founder vice-chancellor of Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati, in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. She was one of the founders of the Andhra Mahila Sabha School of Informatics. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987.
Lila Firoz Poonawalla is an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, humanitarian and the founder of Lila Poonawalla Foundation, a non governmental organization.
Mamatha Raghuveer Achanta is a women's and children's rights activist. She has served as chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Warangal District, as a member of the A.P. State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, and as the founder and executive director of Tharuni, a non-government organization (NGO) that focuses on the empowerment of girls and women. She has participated in rescues and adjudicated issues such as exploitation, violence, child sexual abuse, child marriages, and child neglect.
Birubala Rabha is an Indian activist who campaigns against witch-hunting in India. She is based in Goalpara, Assam. She runs an organisation called Mission Birubala which spreads awareness against witch hunting. She was instrumental in the Assam Government passing the Prevention of and Protection from Witch Hunting Act, 2015. The Government of India awarded her the fourth-highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2021, for her contributions to social work.
Rahibai Soma Popere, born in 1964, is an Indian farmer and conservationist. She helps other farmers return to native varieties of crops, preparing hyacinth beans for self-help groups. She is among three Indians on the BBC list of "100 Women 2018". Scientist Raghunath Mashelkar gave her the epithet "Seed Mother".
The Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 is a law enacted by the Parliament of India, which provides for constitution of National commission and state commissions for the rehabilitation, prosperity and wellness of children. The act was primarily enforced in Indian administered states and its union territories to protect child rights. The act further provides constitution for establishment of children's court where the offenses against children rights or exploitation of child rights be trialed speedily.
Manjamma Jogathi, is an Indian theatre actress, singer and dancer of Jogathi Nritya, a folk dance form of North Karnataka. In 2019, she became the first transgender woman to be the president of Karnataka Janapada Academy, state's top institution for folk arts. In January 2021, Government of India announced Padma Shri award for her contribution to the field of folk arts.
Masuma Begum was an Indian politician, social worker, and feminist. She was a member of the Indian National Congress party, serving as their deputy leader, and was active in politics in Andhra Pradesh, becoming a member of the cabinet in 1960. She was the President of the All India Women's Conference in 1962, and worked towards building networks with international feminist organizations, advocating family planning, and working with social welfare organizations in Hyderabad. She was an early public advocate for the end of the social seclusion of Indian women, a practice known as purdah. She was a recipient of the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 1974.
