Sampat Pal Deehinsa

Indian social activist leading grassroots women's empowerment movements

Sampat Pal Deehinsa is the founder of the Gulabi Gang, a volunteer women's vigilante group in Uttar Pradesh, India. Established in 2006, the pink-saris-clad group defends marginalized women against domestic violence and social injustice. With over 500,000 members across northern India, the gang has intervened in thousands of cases involving gender-based violence, child marriage, and caste discrimination.

Pal's approach combines traditional vigilante methods with modern social media strategies. The Gulabi Gang uses WhatsApp groups and Facebook to coordinate interventions while maintaining a visible presence through their distinctive pink attire. Their actions have inspired similar groups across India and internationally, creating a template for grassroots women's empowerment.

Despite facing threats and arrests for her methods, Pal remains committed to challenging systemic oppression. Her memoir 《The Gulabi Gang》 details her journey and the movement's impact. The story was also adapted into a Bollywood film 《Gulabi Gang》 in 2014, though Pal criticized its portrayal as overly dramatized.