Sampat Pal

Founder of Gulabi Gang - India's iconic pink-saris social justice movement

Sampat Pal Devi is the founder of India's celebrated Gulabi Gang, a volunteer organization known for their distinctive pink saris and fearless advocacy for women's rights. Established in 2006 but gaining global attention during 2014-2019, the Gang has grown into a 400,000 member network operating across Uttar Pradesh.

Pal's work focuses on confronting gender-based violence, child marriages, and caste discrimination through non-violent intervention. The Gang's 'pink army' has rescued over 3,000 girls from forced marriages and mediated countless family disputes. Their 2017 campaign against liquor dens in Badaऊ saved local families from alcohol-related exploitation.

In 2018, the organization launched the 'Gulabi Gaon' initiative to build women-led communities with schools and health centers. Pal's leadership inspired the 2018 Bollywood film Gulabi Talkies, though she maintains the real work happens 'on the ground, not on screens.'

Her TED Talk 'The Gulabi Gang's Battle for Dignity' (2012) remains influential, and her memoir Our Revolution details the movement's challenges. The UN Women's 2019 report highlighted the Gulabi Gang as a model for community-driven activism. Despite death threats, Pal continues mobilizing rural women through digital platforms like her WhatsApp network.