About

Rekha Mody - Founder and President

Rekha Mody, social worker and activist is committed to Women Empowerment.
She is the founder of Divya Chaya Trust established in 1984, Habiart Foundation 1987, Stree Shakti - The Parallel Force 1998. She feels that women all over the world are interconnected on various underlying gender issues.
She has edited ‘A Quest for Roots’, a book of more than 300 posthumous biographies of women from India significant in South-Asian history. Hindi edition was released in 2018 by Vardha University and Rajkamal publisher.
She has also edited ‘Innovative Practices for care of Elderly Women in India an initiative of Stree Shakti -The Parallel Force supported by UNFPA.
Rekha raised women’s issues in GCFWIN Conference in Geneva at United Nation on 16 May 2022.
Rekha Mody has also served on the Board of United Way, New Delhi. She is lobbying for 33 percent reservation of women in state assemblies. Three Conclave on this issue have been held in 2022. She Leads is a political training online initiative launched in 2021.
Rekha Mody is an art collector and had launched Kolkatta’s first FM Radio in 1994. She is a Patron to Asha U.K.

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Neeru Poddar - Vice-President

Winner of Priyadarshini Award for Promotion of Crafts , Neeru Poddar is a grass root worker . She is a Trustee with Divya Chaya Trust and Habiart Foundation. She has been a founder member of Stree Shakti - The Parallel Force. Neeru ji has trained many women in West Bengal to earn their living through Kantha embroidery. She has been very active with the Reproductive Child Health programme introduced in village Podra near Kolkata in 2009. Counselling the under privileged is her forte.

Dr. Nirja Mattoo - Co lead Women Leaders Conclave

Dr Nirja Mattoo, holds M.A. (Social Science) & Ph.D. in “Role of Women in Managing Development Program of Panchayat Raj Institution in Maharashtra” from Mumbai University. She is passionate about causes that impact women and girls and has always been on the frontier to implement impactful novel ideas and projects of significant social importance. In her extensive career spanning 4 decades, has worked in the leadership position in various national and international non-profit organizations. She was deputed to attend an International Policy Advocacy Course at School of International Training (SIT) World Learning, Centre for Citizen Advocacy & Advocacy Institute, USA.

At S.P.Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) served a Chairperson for Centre for Development of Corporate Citizenship (DOCC) for more than a decade and was nominated as a finalist for the Faculty Pioneer Award presented by Aspen Institute of Business and Society Programme (USA) She represented at U.N. Global Compact, PRME, and received recognition as a Champion in Responsible Management Education. She was invited to address at the UN Global Forum at New York. She received an Award for Best Practices, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2018 by Global Compact India.

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Richa Sahni - Honorary Senior Advisor – Strategy & Program Leadership, Stree Shakti

Richa Sahni is a seasoned leader with 25 years of cross-sectoral experience spanning entrepreneurship, corporate strategy, and the social impact ecosystem.

A Dean’s List graduate from the Indian School of Business (ISB), she has built and led strategic initiatives across diverse organizations, with a consistent focus on equity, In her advisory role at Stree Shakti, she brings strategic depth to program design, talent selection, and leadership development—enabling women across India to lead with purpose and resilience.

With a proven track record of designing programs that deliver scale and sustainability, Richa combines intellectual rigor with grounded empathy—working at the intersection of policy, practice, and people.

Deepshikha Sangwan - Researcher

Deepshikha Sangwan is a graduate in Political Science (Honours) from Miranda House, University of Delhi. She went on to pursue a Bachelor's in Education from CBLU University, Haryana, and a Master's degree in Political Science at IGNOU. She has co-initiated the School of Nature, a social change programme for young adults.

Dr. Sarmistha Chakrabarti - Honorary Secretary

Dr. Sarmistha Chakrabarti has a Ph.D. in Chemistry together with several years of research experience in Switzerland and USA. She has worked in the Women's Studies Research Centre of Calcutta University and has been a member of Streeshakti for the past 25 years. She has taught Chemistry in the Food and Nutrition Division of Calcutta University. Her primary interest lay in Women and Science on which topic she has published papers, spoken at conferences, both in India and abroad.

Dr Kamal Kishor Mishra - Honorary Researcher

Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Harding Building, University of Calcutta, Kolkata with the specialization of Oriental Epigraphy - Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit Inscriptions, Paleography & Manuscriptlogy.

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PAST PRESIDENTS

Dr. Aarti Saxena - Ex-President

Present Institution: Non Collegiate Women's Education Board & National Service Scheme, University of Delhi
Position held: Offg. Director & Program Coordinator
Recognition: Awarded “Honour for Excellence” by Russian centre of Science and Culture, International Federation of Indian Russian youth club, Gantavya Sansthan and Women on Top, for application of best practices in plant sciences for the rural areas in Rajasthan and Haryana. Associated with People For Plants and Environment group.

Chitra Mudgal - Ex-President

"I have always written freely on the subjects I feel strongly about. My aim is to depict reality as it is, not to paint one for the convenience of a reader's conscience." - Chitra Mudgal
Rare is this amalgamation of gentle sensitivity, utter humility and such superior intellect. Probably her solace with her wonderful self is the reason behind the glowing radiance on the face of this 60-year old, which can put a thousand electric bulbs to shame. Meet the multi-faceted Chitra Mudgal, a renowned and respected figure in modern literature in Hindi, who is also a dedicated trade unionist, social activist, virtual mother to slum dwelling women and, at the same time, a doting housewife and mother. Probably it will be better to say that her wide spectrum of social work and her unflinching belief in "humanism" defines the world-class writer in her.

Dr. Purobi Roy - Ex-President

Dr Purabi Roy is a retired Professor of Jadavpur University, visiting Professor of Moscow State University and St.Petersburg University, Russian Federation. Born in July 1941, she did her Ph.D from the Institute of Oriental Studies. Russian Academy of Science, Moscow.
She participated in various International Seminars and Conferences. As a research Professor of the Asiatic Society, she published volumes on Russo-Indian Relations XIX Cent, Indo-Russian Relations XX Cent. Part-I and Part-II. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Commemoration Vol. of Scottish Church College. She is the author of many articles on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
She is a specialist of Russian Language and Politics. Presently she is doing research on New Findings on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - From Russian British German and Indian Archives.
She presented papers at the Institute of Oriental Studies Moscow-1999, Oriental Faculty, St.Petersburg-2002,Hamburg University, German 2003, Humbolt University, Germany-2004 and Lund University, Sweden-2004.
She was a deponent and Member of JUSTICE MUKHERJEE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY on ALLEGED DISAPPEARANCE OF NETAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE, 1999-2005.
She is a women activist and believes in empowerment of Society depends upon Gender Equality.

MISSION

To create a network for achieving equality, self-reliance and an equal opportunity for women in India. To envelop policies for empowerment.

VISION

To establish a network of Women's Centres to support inter-linked multiple activities, addressing the over-all empowerment of women.

STRATEGY

To evolve strategies to ensure political empowerment of women and to synergize the proven role models. To work towards establishing an Equal Opportunity Commission in India. To create documentation and make visible women's achievements, past and present.