From a childhood spent being confused about her identity, Akkai Padmashali, 32, grew up to become a champion of gender equality. Once forced to be a sex worker, she transformed herself into a transgender rights activist with the help of Sangama, an LGBT group in Bengaluru. She was a key mover in enabling the repeal of Section 377, and is the country’s first transgender to get a driving licence identifying her as ‘female’.
Photo: Akkai Padmashali
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CAL — Jaljeevika, a Pune-based NGO, offers alternative business avenues to agriculture-dependent small and marginal farmers. It encourages them to leverage opportunities in inland fisheries by providing access to credit and markets and by fostering entrepreneurship. CAL — Jaljeevika has transformed the lives of over 10,000 farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Photo: Centre for Aquatic Livelihood — Jaljeevika
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The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) was started by Achyuta Samanta in 1993 to usher in a social change in the Maoist and Naxal affected hinterlands of Odisha, and to mentor young indigenous peoples. As the world’s largest school for tribal children, KISS provides quality education — fully residential and free — to over 25,000 students without compromising on their cultural roots and heritage, and placing social responsibility over commercial gains.
Photo: Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS)
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Bringing multiple aspects of rare disease treatment — such as detection, drug availability and clinical trials — under one roof, the Organization for Rare Diseases India (ORDI) is a non-profit founded by parents of children affected by rare diseases. Serving as an umbrella platform, its coordination centre offers free treatment for those afflicted by rare diseases. There are over 7,000 rare diseases occurring worldwide.
Photo: Organization for Rare Diseases India
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A former management consultant turned Right to Education (RTE) crusader, Samina Bano, 35, has founded the RightWalk Foundation (RWF), an NGO aimed at educating children irrespective of their socioeconomic background. The efforts of Samina Bano and the RWF have impacted more than 90,000 children from economically weaker sections across 75 districts and 10,000 schools in Uttar Pradesh over four years.