MG Motor India turns the spotlight on Padma Shri awardee Sudha Varghese's work

MG Motor India, in collaboration with The Better India, has launched an initiative to highlight and recognize the extraordinary stories of women changemakers who have been able to do transformative work in a community.

MG Motor India, with its emphasis on embracing diversity, has also found synergistic support from UN Women India MCO, which has been championing gender equality across the Subcontinent.

The latest #MGChangemakers story brings the focus on Padma Shri awardee Sudha Varghese and her tireless dedication to the cause of the Mahadalit community of Musahars in Bihar. Varghese, who hails from Kottayam, Kerala, moved to Bihar in her late teens and has been working towards uplifting the Musahars for over 30 years, working towards bringing a change in and for their lives.

In 1987, Varghese launched Nari Gunjan, a non-profit organisation to help Dalit women become aware of and access their rights. In 2005, she established a residential school named Prerna on the outskirts of Danapur, Patna. A second branch called Prerna 2 opened in Gaya. Currently, Nari Gunjan runs the Prerna schools, where 3,000 enrolled students are first-generation learners. The organisation is active in five districts of Bihar and works through 850 Self-Help Groups.

Varghese has also introduced livelihood programmes for the women of the community. Today, 750 families have kitchen gardens to grow their own vegetables and sell excess produce. Nari Gunjan also operates a unit to produce inexpensive sanitary napkins for the Dalit women.

Rajeev Chaba, President, MG Motor India, said, “MG Motor has been built on the strong foundations of cultural diversity. It is to reinforce this vision that we are highlighting and recognizing 6 women catalysts of change through the #MGChangemakers campaign. Sudha Varghese has made a significant contribution towards the upliftment of communities, inspiring and motivating several others to drive a positive change within society. We salute her resilience and spirit, and laud her commitment to championing the rights of those who find themselves at the margins.”

Dhimant Parekh, Founder-CEO, The Better India, added, “The Better India has always highlighted the stories of individuals who have made a positive impact on the lives of others. We are delighted to partner with MG Motor for the #MGChangemakers initiative and showcase remarkable stories of people such as Sudha Varghese. She has done formidable and selfless service for the Musahars, who lived on village fringes and faced caste- and gender-based atrocities. Today, the community and its people live and work with dignity and Sudha has had a large part to play in this change. We salute her and are proud to showcase her work to the rest of the world through this campaign.”

Extending support to the campaign, Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Representative, UN Women India MCO, added, “UN Women is committed to the cause of gender parity and dignity for every human being. Sudha Varghese’s contribution to this cause has been incredible and her NGO Nari Gunjan has helped uplift the Musahars’ community and empowered Dalit women in manifold ways. We are pleased to be a part of the commendable #MGChangemakers initiative, which seeks to drive conversations about respect and inclusion for all and celebrates the work of people such as Sudha.”

Speaking on her involvement in the #MGChangemakers campaign,  Varghese said, “Three decades ago, I was actually unaware about the caste system. Discrimination and untouchability were new to me till I came across the Musahars—the rat-eating community. After seeing their abject condition, I decided to do something to help them live with dignity and respect. I opted to stay in a mud hut within the Musahars’ settlement and fight for their rights and work for their betterment. I’m so grateful to MG Motor India and The Better India to showcase the work that we’ve been doing at Nari Gunjan and for generating greater awareness about the need for elevating the lifestyle and livelihood options of India’s most oppressed communities.”

The first #MGChangemakers story featured transgender activist Kalki Subramaniam who has been working towards the rights for trans-people and creating means for them to earn a livelihood via art. The stories of the other 4 changemakers under the #MGChangemakers initiative will be launched at an interval of 7 to 10 days and will be supported by strong traditional and digital promotion to further enhance the reach of their message. The video-based stories of these praise-worthy women will also be shared by UN Women India MCO on its social media handles to further amplify awareness.

The campaign will conclude with an on-ground event featuring all 6 changemakers, as well as prominent celebrity-activists, media, and prominent organisations focusing on women empowerment and equality.

MGChangemakers story (Sudha Varghese)

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