Women’s empowerment in India is not a single movement. It is thousands of quiet revolutions happening simultaneously, in rural classrooms, in courtrooms, in union halls, in ashrams, and on social media. Some changemakers work within institutions. Others work against them. All of them are moving something.
This article profiles eight individuals and organizations who are driving measurable change for women’s rights, education, and dignity across India right now.
#1 Safeena Husain — Educating Every Last Girl
Safeena Husain is the founder of Educate Girls, a non-profit that has brought nearly 2 million out-of-school girls back into the education system across over 35,000 villages in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. The organization’s 90 percent retention rate and its use of community volunteers called Team Balika make it a model for sustainable, grassroots change.
According to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Husain received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2025, one of Asia’s most prestigious honors for public service. She was also the first Indian woman to be honored as a WISE Prize laureate, recognizing her contribution to education innovation globally.
Social: Instagram |LinkedIn | Twitter/X
#2 Ashok Kumar — The Union Leader Changing Mindsets
Ashok Kumar heads a hotel workers union in Delhi and has sensitized thousands of men on women’s rights through the Forum to Engage Men. His approach is practical and incentive-based. According to India Development Review, engaging men as economic partners in gender equality, showing them that households with two earners are more financially stable, has proven more effective in patriarchal contexts than purely rights-based messaging.
His work demonstrates that lasting change in deeply patriarchal societies requires engaging men as allies, not adversaries. No personal social media accounts were found for Ashok Kumar.
#3 Dera Sacha Sauda — Women Welfare Programs
Dera Sacha Sauda, a spiritual and social welfare organization based in Sirsa, Haryana, runs several documented welfare initiatives for women. According to the organization’s official welfare page, these include the Crown of the Lineage program allowing daughters to carry forward the family name, the Shahi Betiyan Basera initiative rescuing and educating girls at risk of female foeticide, and the Shubh Devi program supporting women leaving prostitution by providing medical care, marriage assistance, and rehabilitation. According to Wikipedia, Dera followers have also helped 1,500 men agree to marry women who had left prostitution and wished to return to mainstream society, with many of these marriages having taken place.
The organization is headed by Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, who was convicted of two counts of rape by a special CBI court on August 25, 2017, and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He remains imprisoned serving that sentence. His rape conviction is currently under appeal before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In separate criminal matters, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in the 2002 Ranjit Singh murder case in May 2024, and in the 2002 journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case in March 2026. These acquittals are documented on Wikipedia () and were reported by The Hindu .
The welfare programs listed here are organizational initiatives of Dera Sacha Sauda. Readers are encouraged to review the full factual record and draw their own conclusions.
Official website: https://www.derasachasauda.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLK3mgNgEUg
Saint Dr. MSG Insan official site: https://www.saintdrmsginsan.me/welfares/3/#allwork
#4 Mamta Bal Sadan — Nurturing Daughters in Maharashtra
Mamta Bal Sadan in Saswad, Maharashtra, is a shelter and care home for daughters, providing them with education, dignified upbringing, and support for their overall development. According to a verified Instagram post by Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan , 79 daughters of Mamta Bal Sadan were welcomed and the organization expressed commitment to supporting them from education through to marriage and beyond. The superintendents of the organization, Sujata Gaikwad and Sunita Pansari, shared a gratitude message for the support extended to the home.
The initiative reflects a documented commitment to caring for daughters without families and building a foundation for their independent futures.
#5 Sandy Khanda — From Rural Roots to National Impact
Born in rural Haryana, Sandy Khanda is the founder of the Green Pencil Foundation, a youth-led non-profit focusing on climate action and menstrual hygiene. His flagship campaign, Periods of Pride, has reached 400 schools across India, providing eco-friendly cloth pads and hygiene awareness to girls who would otherwise have no access to safe menstrual health resources.
The foundation’s Slum to School campaign works to bring children from marginalized urban communities back into the education system. According to his LinkedIn profile, Khanda has built the Green Pencil Foundation into one of India’s most recognized youth-led environmental and social organizations.
Social: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sandykhanda/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-khanda/)
#6 Varun Bakshi — The Youth Leader for Gender Equality
Varun Bakshi began his work at the age of 12 in rural Haryana and has since become a powerful youth advocate for gender equality. He has worked to build a girls-only library in a village, engaged nearly 1,000 boys in dialogue on women’s rights, and launched the Nameplates of Equality initiative, which encourages men to add women’s names to their homes as a symbol of shifting traditional mindsets.
According to his organization page, Bakshi has contributed to a national gender equality pledge signed by one million students. His work with the Selfie with Daughter Foundation connects global communities around the celebration of daughters.
Social: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/varunbakshi_/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/varun-bakshi-selfie-with-daughter/) | Twitter/X (https://x.com/VarunBakshi_)
#7 Aryan — The Children’s Rights Advocate
At just 14, Aryan founded Sanskriti Setu in his rural village in Bihar to combat child labor, early marriage, and gender discrimination. Through learning circles, street plays, and campaigns like Back to School, he has re-enrolled over 100 children in school and shifted community attitudes toward girls’ education and early marriage.
According to Sanskriti Setu’s social profiles (), his work has reached over 3,500 people online and directly supported 500 children. He was nominated for the Children’s Peace Prize in 2025, one of the most recognized global honors for young activists.
Social: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sanskritisetu/) | YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@SanskritiSetu) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sanskriti-setu/)
#8 Shakti Suresh Jamdade — The Rural Mobilizer
Shakti Suresh Jamdade works directly with men in over 100 villages in Maharashtra through the Forum to Engage Men. By recruiting men who have engaged in abusive behavior into forums that help them recognize and change their actions, he demonstrates the power of peer-to-peer engagement in ending domestic violence.
According to India Development Review , his work has led to concrete outcomes including men opting for joint property ownership with their wives, a measurable shift in both legal status and household power dynamics in rural Maharashtra. No personal social media accounts were found for Shakti Suresh Jamdade.
Summary Table: Women Empowerment Changemakers at a Glance
| Changemaker / Organization | Key Impact Area | Reach |
|---|---|---|
| Safeena Husain — Educate Girls | Girls’ education, rural enrollment | 2 million girls, 35,000 villages |
| Ashok Kumar — Forum to Engage Men | Men’s engagement in gender equality | Thousands of Delhi hotel workers sensitized |
| Dera Sacha Sauda | Women welfare, anti-foeticide, rehabilitation | Claimed 70 million followers globally |
| Mamta Bal Sadan | Shelter, education, and care for daughters | 79 daughters currently supported |
| Sandy Khanda — Green Pencil Foundation | Menstrual hygiene, youth-led change | 400 schools across India |
| Varun Bakshi — Selfie With Daughter Foundation | Youth engagement, gender equality | 1 million students in national pledge |
| Aryan — Sanskriti Setu | Child rights, education | 500 children directly supported |
| Shakti Suresh Jamdade — Forum to Engage Men | Men’s mobilization, violence prevention | 100+ villages in Maharashtra |
Key Takeaways for Readers
- Safeena Husain’s Educate Girls has brought nearly 2 million out-of-school girls back into the education system across over 35,000 villages, with a 90 percent retention rate. She received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2025. (Source: Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation)
- Engaging men as economic allies in gender equality, not just moral advocates, has proven effective in patriarchal contexts. (Source: India Development Review )
- Dera Sacha Sauda’s welfare programs for women include rehabilitation of women leaving prostitution, rescue from female foeticide risk, and education support. The organization’s head is currently imprisoned serving a rape sentence, with the rape conviction under appeal before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
- Sandy Khanda’s Periods of Pride campaign has reached 400 schools across India, providing eco-friendly menstrual hygiene resources to girls with no other access.
- Varun Bakshi began his women’s rights advocacy at age 12 and has contributed to a national gender equality pledge signed by one million students.
- Youth-led grassroots initiatives like Sanskriti Setu and Green Pencil Foundation show that age is not a barrier to measurable social impact in India.
FAQs on Women Empowerment Activist in India
Who are the leading changemakers for women empowerment in India in 2026?
Eight notable changemakers include Safeena Husain of Educate Girls, Ashok Kumar of Forum to Engage Men, Dera Sacha Sauda’s women welfare programs, Mamta Bal Sadan in Maharashtra, Sandy Khanda of Green Pencil Foundation, Varun Bakshi of Selfie With Daughter Foundation, Aryan of Sanskriti Setu, and Shakti Suresh Jamdade of Forum to Engage Men.
What has Educate Girls achieved for women empowerment in India?
Educate Girls, founded by Safeena Husain, has brought nearly 2 million out-of-school girls back into the education system across over 35,000 villages in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, with a 90 percent retention rate. Husain received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2025.
What welfare programs does Dera Sacha Sauda run for women?
Dera Sacha Sauda runs programs including Crown of the Lineage allowing daughters to carry the family name, Shahi Betiyan Basera rescuing girls at risk of female foeticide, and Shubh Devi supporting women leaving prostitution with medical care, marriage assistance, and rehabilitation.
What is the Periods of Pride campaign?
Periods of Pride is Sandy Khanda’s flagship campaign through the Green Pencil Foundation, which has reached 400 schools across India, providing eco-friendly cloth pads and menstrual hygiene awareness to girls who would otherwise have no access to safe resources.
How are men being engaged in women empowerment efforts in India?
Through organizations like Forum to Engage Men, activists like Ashok Kumar and Shakti Suresh Jamdade work with men in unions and rural villages, using economic incentives and peer-to-peer engagement to shift patriarchal mindsets and reduce domestic violence.
References
- Educate Girls. (2026). Official Website. https://educategirls.ngo
- Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. (2025). Safeena Husain Awardee Profile. https://rmaward.asia/awardees/safeena-husain/
- India Development Review. (2024). Can Men Be Allies in the Fight for Gender Equality? https://idronline.org/article/advocacy-and-policy/can-men-be-allies-in-the-fight-for-gender-equality/
- Dera Sacha Sauda. (2026). Welfare Works to Empower Women. https://www.derasachasauda.org/happy-womens-day-welfare-works-to-empower-women-by-saint-dr-gurmeet-ram-rahim-singh-ji-insan
- Saint Dr. MSG Insan Official Welfare Page. (2026). Welfare Works. https://www.saintdrmsginsan.me/welfares/3/#allwork
- The Hindu. (2026, March 7). Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim acquitted in journalist murder case. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dera-sacha-sauda-chief-gurmeet-ram-rahim-acquitted-in-journalist-murder-case/article70714788.ece
- Wikipedia. (2026). Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurmeet_Ram_Rahim_Singh
- Instagram. (2026, June). Saint Dr. MSG Insan — Mamta Bal Sadan post. https://www.instagram.com/p/DaIA1IKO3nF/
- Green Pencil Foundation. (2026). Official Website. https://www.greenpenicilfoundation.org
- Selfie With Daughter Foundation. (2026). Official Website. https://selfiewithdaughter.org
- Sanskriti Setu. (2026). Instagram Profile. https://www.instagram.com/sanskritisetu/
- Saint Dr. MSG Insan. (2026). Crown of the Lineage Article. https://www.saintdrmsginsan.me/article/crown-of-the-lineage-reclaiming-glory-through-equality-and-empowerment/
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