In the heart of Chandrapur’s Rajura block lies Devada, a quiet farming village where cotton reigns supreme. With 264 of its 298 households cultivating over 2200 acres, agriculture is more than a livelihood—it’s a way of life. But it was defined by outdated practices, limited tools and little access to credit.

In Banli village of Chandi gram panchayat, Himachal Pradesh, access to water was a daily struggle. For decades, women carried water from a traditional bouri—a small natural well that collects rainwater and is used for irrigation or drinking.

"When women are empowered, society benefits in every way." – Mahatma Gandhi

India is home to the fourth-largest agricultural sector in the world and a crucial part of the country’s economy. As agranian labour, women’s participation has always been significant, with estimates ranging from 63% to 80%.

A movement is underway across India, to empower women to become ‘lakhpati didis!’ Ambuja Foundation is playing its part – encouraging rural women to strive for a Rs. 1 lakh income and fostering micro enterprises along the way.

An event organized by Ambuja Foundation and Apparel Made-Ups & Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council organized an event in August for the women of Virasat to foster continuous improvement and excellence in the workplace.

A grassroots movement is underway in Punjab! Women from the districts of Bathinda, Kotbhai and Rajpura are honing their skills, reviving traditional handicrafts and becoming breadwinners in their families – all via the Virasat- E-Malwa collective. And one of the driving forces behind it, is Karamjeet Kaur.

Unpaid care and domestic work is highlighted by the United Nations as one of the many hindrances to women’s right and ability to access decent and productive work. Did you know that in India, women spend up to 352 minutes per day on unpaid domestic work – 577% more than men who spend approximately 52 minutes. This means that 3 out of every 4 Indian women are not working outside the home and many have aspirations to do so!

Villagers of Arjuni live nestled on the fringes of the Barnawapara forest and are primarily Adivasi tribals – relying on the gifts of the forest for their livelihoods. Here, the primary source of income is found in weaving traditional bamboo products – baskets, brooms, fans and other household utility and decorative items.

In rural India, where people are dependent on groundwater or weekly municipal water supply, getting fresh water every day is a major household chore, mostly shouldered by women. On an average, it takes about three hours to fetch water to meet the needs of a family of four - a rough estimate for when the water source is within a 2 to 5 km radius.

Ambuja Foundation, part of Adani Group has won FICCI CSR Award for the company in the women empowerment category. The award has been presented at the CSR Summit in the attendance of all highly esteemed representatives from the industry.

Shivani Sahu from Khajari village is a hardworking girl who decided to buck the trend and join the male-dominated electrical course. After training, she was placed in Snyder Company, Hyderabad, where her salary was ₹ 11,000. However, due to poor health, she left the job and came back to Chhindwara – securing another job at Wire Harness Company Pithampur where her salary was ₹ 10000.