Archive · 30 Sep 2025
Dr. Kalpana Sankar Creates Jobs For Rural Women
Dr. Kalpana Sankar, a scientist, started an organization called Hand in Hand India to help women in rural areas.
She saw that women needed more opportunities.
So, she created a program that helps them start their own businesses and learn about money.
Her program involves forming groups where women can support each other, get small loans, and learn important skills.
This has created 1.5 million jobs, helping over 2.2 million women.
Her ideas have even spread to other countries, showing how important her work is.
Dr. Kalpana Sankar co-founded 'Hand in Hand India' to empower rural women.
The organization has created 1.5 million jobs.
Over 2.2 million women have been empowered through the initiative.
The organization uses self-help groups (SHGs) to promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
Her work has been recognized with multiple prestigious awards.
- Who
- Dr. Kalpana Sankar, co-founder of Hand in Hand India
- What
- Created 1.5 million jobs for rural women through Hand in Hand India.
- When
- The work has been ongoing for many years and recognized with multiple awards including in 2016, 2019, and 2023.
- Where
- Rural villages in Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, and also internationally in Cambodia, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
- Why
- To address gender inequality and provide economic independence for women.
- Organization
- Hand in Hand India
- Jobs Created
- 1.5 million
- Women Empowered
- Over 2.2 million
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
- Over 5,01,766
- Family Enterprises Supported
- 50,16,728
- Locations
- 500 villages across multiple Indian states and globally replicated
- Awards
- Nari Shakti Puraskar, Global Award for Women Empowerment, Lifetime Achievement Award