Anita Bhagwandas

Pioneered initiatives empowering marginalized women in rural India through education and entrepreneurship

About Anita Bhagwandas

Anita Bhagwandas is a social entrepreneur and activist whose work has transformed the lives of thousands of marginalized women in rural India. Since 2018, she has led the SheLeads Foundation, an organization dedicated to breaking cycles of poverty through education, vocational training, and microfinance programs. Her flagship initiative, the Rural Women Empowerment Network, has established over 150 community centers across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar by 2023, providing literacy classes, digital literacy workshops, and business incubation support.

Innovative Approaches

Bhagwandas pioneered a unique 'Peer Mentorship Model' where successful graduates return as trainers, creating a sustainable knowledge transfer system. Her 2021 report Breaking Barriers: Pathways to Female Economic Participation influenced state policy changes in India's Skill Development Mission. In 2024, she launched Eco-Entrepreneurship Programs combining sustainable agriculture training with handicraft cooperatives, tripling average household incomes in pilot villages.

Global Recognition

Recipient of the 2022 UN Women's Changemaker Award, Bhagwandas has spoken at the World Economic Forum and partnered with UNDP on climate-resilient livelihood projects. Her TEDx talk 'Why Rural Women Hold the Key to India's Future' (2023) has over 2 million views. She currently advises the Indian government's NITI Aayog on gender-inclusive development strategies.