Priyanka Bist

Indian activist who pioneered the 'Digital Daughters' movement to combat child marriage through tech innovation

Priyanka Bist is a social innovator from rural India whose 2021 launch of the Digital Daughters initiative revolutionized efforts to end child marriage. Her approach combined GPS tracking bracelets with AI-powered guardianship systems, enabling real-time monitoring of at-risk girls in 150 villages. By 2023:

• Prevented over 12,000 child marriages
• Secured government partnerships in 6 Indian states
• Won the 2022 Global Women's Rights Award

Bist's system uses blockchain technology to create immutable records of girls' education milestones, making them more valuable to families than early marriage. Her team developed a mobile app that connects girls with online tutors and career counselors. A 2024 UNICEF report credited her methods with a 41% reduction in child marriages in intervention areas.

In 2025, Bist expanded her model to Nepal and Bangladesh through the South Asia Girls' Rights Network. Her TED Talk 'Tech as a Lifeline for Girls' has over 8 million views. Critics initially questioned the ethical implications of tracking, but Bist's transparent opt-in system and focus on empowerment have won broad support.

Her work intersects with India's Digital India initiative, and she recently partnered with Google to develop an AI chatbot providing legal aid to vulnerable girls. Bist's advocacy has directly influenced new child marriage laws passed in three Indian states during 2023-2024.