ABHA SINGH, MUMBAI

CATEGORY: SOCIAL SERVICE

Abha Singh is a former civil servant and presently a practising advocate at the High Court of Judicature at Bombay. She has done MPhil on child rights from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and switched to law in her pursuit to make a difference. She is also a social activist who has done considerable work in the realm of women’s rights, gender equality and justice.

She has pursued her LLB from Mumbai University. She gave up a successful career in the government to serve a larger cause by donning the robes of legal profession. She is the president of an NGO RannSamar where she offers free legal assistance to helpless women and slum dwellers who have been unfairly persecuted by local authorities and builders. RannSamar Foundation is working in rural areas as 75% of the total population of India resides in villages. Her NGO provides vocational skills to women and girls for financial inclusion. Abha emphasises on quality education, affordable health care and supporting skill development in women and youth. Her efforts to reform over 200 convicts, which include both men and women, imprisoned in UP jails by imparting them vocational skills has been appreciated. Through RannSamar, she has organised free of cost beautician and computer courses in Jaunpur and Lucknow jails to enable inmates to utilise their time constructively. She has provided free computer training to at least 200 children. About 600 girls and women of rural areas have also been given free stitching classes. Abha has written a book ‘Stree Dasha aur Disha’ which concentrates on women’s legal rights.

She was involved in holding a self-defence workshop to encourage safety of children. Her recent achievements include installation of a sanitary napkin machines in the village. Her NGO has also conducted free of cost computer and stitching classes at TD Mahila Mahavidyalay in Jaunpur.

NOMINATED BY ADITYA PRATAP