Founder’s Journey

Anindita Majumdar, Founder and Managing Trustee of Equidiversity Foundation, brings over two decades of experience working on gender-based violence. Her long engagement with communities led her to a critical insight: lasting gender justice is not possible without transforming how decisions are made in society—through governance.

National debates on women’s political representation, combined with her on-ground experience of women’s proxy leadership in local institutions, shaped her focus on gender-equitable governance. This vision was further strengthened through her participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in 2014 and subsequent exposure to global practices on women’s political participation.

In 2016, driven by strong community demand and the commitment of grassroots women and a couple of male social leaders, and with the backing of two other founding members, Anindita registered the organization on 15th September to founded Equidiversity Foundation to advance gender equality through inclusive and accountable governance. Beginning with six Gram Panchayats, the organisation has since expanded its reach and thematic work in response to community needs. In recognition of this work and vision, she was awarded the **Ashoka Fellowship in 2017.