Sugandha Munshi

Nationality: Indian
Living in: Bihar, India
Programmes: ILP 2013

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

Agriculture & Gender Specialist Sugandha Munshi

Following the ILP in 2013 Sugandha started working with women farmers as a ‘Gender Specialist” at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). IRRI is the world’s premier research organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for future generations.

Sugandha has created a programme called the ‘women’s leadership through agriculture reform’ where women farmers can explore their social, economic and individual leadership. She strongly believes that in India youth has an important role to play to reduce and finally end gender inequality and solve women issues. This belief led her to create an initiative called Priyadarshini which acts as a neutral platform to work with youths in Bihar, India, on gender issues where the core message is “lead yourself and influence others for making the world a humane place”, a concept she learned at her WYSE ILP.

Her projects have worked directly with over 5,000 women farmers and the wider impact on the system has reached over 50,000 people. In 2016, Sugandha was named as a Global Shaper, an initiative from the World Economic Forum that recognises young people from across the world who are exceptional in their potential, their achievements and their drive to make a contribution to their communities. 

As a traveller born in this world, I have been moving ahead with a never dying spirit where I keep my key to motivation in my pocket. It might sound difficult but definitely not impossible same like our life isn’t it?

I pursued my master’s degree in Political science form University of Delhi India, holding degrees in Journalism and Gender studies, I moved on, making my passion my career, working for women’s development and gender equality. I believe it is always important to take one step ahead, seeking solutions, rather moving the problems and systems around. I have been working in India for development issues for the last eight years, involved in the gender rights movement in my country and have been contributing my bit to bring my society closer to sustainable change.

I started my career as a journalist and moved on to bring out more out of me and immersed myself, joining the development sector and learning out of crisis situation. As I became involved in a campaign against female foeticide in Delhi my life took me to the grass root of India In Rajasthan where I spent 2 years and 8 months working and implementing the Education Leadership .While spending my days in villages of India, one thing which I have learnt was how education play a significant role in turning around the gender discrimination. 

My realization gave me an insight to explore another path, where I could work merging gender and education. I came back to my state Bihar in India where I believed that in order to contribute to the development of my state, I need to work being stationed here to understand real picture. I joined as State Co-ordinator Gender Cell for the department of education for four years, where I was involved in intensive advocacy for policy making on gender sensitization through education as an important tool with state government and UNICEF. During this intensive field work, all my lows became my learning and all my highs my understanding. 

While I was moving on in my journey something indispensable happened in my life; which has really acted as a catalyst, sharpening my thought and perspective. It was “WYSE Leadership “. Those 12 days gave me the energy, refuelled my thoughts and determination to maintain my spirit for changes around me. Meeting with so much positive energy in one place, with one goal of “making the world a humane place” gave me an opportunity to have a wider world view. The reflection sessions and most important the session of sub personalities hit me the most, which still support me, keeping me aware of being non- judgemental toward self and others both at my workplace and at home. The coaching sessions provided during and after the course is adding value in keeping the learnings afresh, and keeps me close to my centre.

 I took a crucial decision of moving on from education department and started working with and for women farmers as a ‘Gender Specialist” in International Rice Research institute where I am closer to the cause I want to work with and bring impact. I am working for women farmers and their development through new innovations in agriculture. I name it the ‘women’s leadership through agriculture reform’ where they can explore their social, economic and individual leadership.

I strongly believe that in India youth has an important role to play to reduce and finally end gender inequality and solve women issues. This belief led me to have a small initiative, called Priyadarshini which acts as a neutral platform to work with youths in Bihar, India on gender issues where the core message is “lead yourself and influence other for making the world a humane place”

Sugandha Munshi

Sugandha recently received an Aadhi Aabadi Women Achievers Awards in India.

Voted for by a national committee, Sugandha Munshi was given the award for her work with women and girls to empower them through education. The aim of the award is to celebrate women in India doing fantastic things, and who stand as role models for the next generation. 

Sugandha says that WYSE helped her evolve as a person and become a more reflective practitioner. She believes she can do the work she does because she knows she has the support of her WYSE family behind her always.