Mira Behn

Indian social reformer and Gandhian activist who revolutionized rural development and women's empowerment.

Mira Behn (1889-1978), born Miriam Esther Cohen, was a British-born social reformer who became a key figure in India's independence movement. Converting to Hinduism in 1916, she adopted the name Mira Behn and dedicated her life to Gandhi's vision of rural upliftment.

In 1921, she established the first ashram for women in Wardha, Maharashtra, combining education with manual labor - a radical concept at the time. Her 1930s work in rural Bengal transformed 200 villages through cooperative farming and cottage industries, creating sustainable economies.

Behn pioneered women's education in remote areas, establishing the first girls' school in Hazaribagh that taught weaving alongside literacy. She also created India's first women's police force in 1935 to combat trafficking.

Her 1940s experiments with decentralized manufacturing inspired the Khadi movement, while her 1950s work in Himalayan regions led to forest conservation initiatives. Over 50 villages still follow her eco-friendly practices today. Her writings like The Story of My Experiments with Truth (though co-authored with Gandhi) remain foundational texts in Gandhian philosophy. Modern NGOs like the Mira Behn Foundation (https://mirabehn.org) continue her work in sustainable development.