Varsha Deshpande: The Grassroots Voice That Reached the United Nations 

Some stories carry the quiet strength of rivers. They do not rush into the headlines overnight, but slowly carve their way through resistance, reshaping everything around them. The journey of Varsha Deshpande is one such story. 

Her work began in modest surroundings, far from the spotlight, and grew into something powerful enough to draw the world’s attention. It is a story of persistence, of small steps that became turning points, and of one woman’s determination to stand against traditions that denied others their worth. 

Recently, the world paused to recognise her efforts. The honour she received was not just a medal, but a signal that grassroots change can echo on the global stage. To understand why this moment matters, we need to look closely at the path she has walked, the battles she has fought, and the futures she has helped shape. 

Who Is Varsha Deshpande? 

On the surface, she may seem like a social worker from Satara, Maharashtra. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover the powerhouse who founded the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal back in 1990, which is a dedicated organisation that gives voice and power to rural and marginalised women. 

Over more than 35 years, Varsha has been a relentless crusader against gender-based violence, discrimination, and the grave issue of gender-biased sex selection. She’s spearheaded programs that empower adolescent girls, engage men and boys in the conversation, protect informal sector women’s rights, and push for joint property registration so women can access and own assets. 

Addressing Gender-Biased Sex Selection 

One of her most impactful contributions has been in combating sex-selection practices in India, a partnership closely tied to the PCPNDT Act, the law aimed at preventing misuse of prenatal diagnosis for sex selection. As a respected member of several statutory bodies under that Act, Varsha has actively helped strengthen its enforcement. She took bold steps, including conducting sting operations to expose illegal sex-selective abortions, turning up the pressure on erring practices and practitioners. 

Through these efforts, she helped lift the voices of rural, Dalit, and grassroots women whose lives are most affected by gender bias. Her work created awareness, inspired legal and social change, and gave hope in places often overlooked. 

Tireless, Compassionate Leadership 

What truly stands out is Varsha’s leadership style. She leads through empathy. She leads through listening. She leads by empowering others to lead. She doesn’t seek the spotlight; instead, she builds others, especially women, so that they can stand firmly in their own power. 

When she received the award, Varsha shared something deeply authentic. She said she was “deeply honoured” and made it clear that the award wasn’t just hers. Instead, it belonged to “countless individuals and institutions who engage with communities to drive meaningful change and empower them.” For her, this recognition is a tribute to collective effort, not a personal accolade. She expressed hope that this honour would reignite focus on gender-biased sex selection and reaffirm how vital it is to invest in the value of women and girls. 

And UNFPA’s India head, Andrea M. Wojnar, praised her dedication, calling her contribution to confronting discrimination, whether based on gender, caste, or religion, as “truly commendable.” She emphasised that Varsha’s grassroots actions helped ensure that women and girls could live lives of dignity, opportunity, and well-being 

Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal 

At the heart of Varsha Deshpande’s lifelong mission lies the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (DMVM), the organisation she founded in 1990. For over three decades, this grassroots collective has worked tirelessly to amplify the voices of Dalit women and other marginalised groups. What makes DMVM so impactful is its multidimensional approach. Instead of focusing on just one issue, it has tackled intersecting problems that women face in rural India: gender-based violence, lack of access to property, discrimination in workplaces, and unsafe reproductive practices. 

The organisation pioneered campaigns for joint property registration, which may sound technical but has real power. In many rural households, land and homes are registered solely in men’s names. By pushing for joint registration, DMVM gave women legal recognition and economic security. Property ownership often marks the difference between dependence and independence. Through this simple yet transformative idea, countless women gained bargaining power within their families and communities. 

DMVM also built programs for adolescent girls, focusing on health, education, and leadership training. In areas where early marriage and gender bias were rampant, these initiatives created new possibilities. Girls who once might have been confined to domestic roles were instead encouraged to study, lead, and envision wider horizons. The organisation also made a point to engage men and boys, because gender equality cannot succeed if only half of society is involved. Changing attitudes among men helped create healthier community dynamics. 

Challenging Sex Selection at Its Core 

One of Varsha Deshpande’s most defining contributions has been her unwavering fight against sex-selective practices. In India, a deeply entrenched preference for sons has fueled a troubling imbalance in sex ratios, leading to long-term demographic and social challenges. While laws such as the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act exist, enforcement has always been a challenge. 

Varsha stepped into this gap with extraordinary courage. She not only advocated for stronger enforcement but also actively exposed violations. Through sting operations and direct activism, her team revealed clinics conducting illegal sex-determination tests and abortions. These acts were not without risk. Challenging powerful medical lobbies and entrenched social attitudes meant facing hostility and even threats. Yet, her persistence forced authorities to take action and brought national attention to the crisis of female feticide. 

Her work sparked awareness campaigns that changed community conversations. Instead of whispering about the “burden of daughters,” people began to publicly discuss the dignity and worth of girls. It was a shift that combined law, social mobilisation, and storytelling to change hearts as well as systems. 

The Broader Context: Gender Equality in India 

India has made progress in several areas of gender equality, yet the battle remains far from over. The skewed sex ratio continues to trouble policymakers. Patriarchal attitudes still dictate the lives of many women, particularly in rural areas where access to education, healthcare, and employment is limited. 

Activists like Varsha Deshpande serve as bridges between policy and practice. While governments draft schemes, it is people like her who bring them alive in villages and towns. Her activism demonstrates that sustainable change requires working at the grassroots level by listening to the people, understanding their challenges, and designing solutions that fit cultural and social realities. 

Ripple Effects of Recognition 

Awards like this have a ripple effect in unexpected ways. Young activists in India now regard Varsha Deshpande as a role model who has demonstrated that persistence and courage can lead to genuine change. Her recognition inspires them to take up causes ranging from gender justice to environmental sustainability, knowing that the world is watching and listening. 

For global organisations, her story is a reminder that local champions matter. Large-scale international goals, such as those in the Sustainable Development Agenda, cannot succeed without grassroots leaders who carry them forward on the ground. By honouring her, the United Nations also honours the principle that global progress depends on local dedication. 

Why Her Story Matters to All of Us 

Even if you are not living in rural Maharashtra or directly connected to the issues she tackles, Varsha Deshpande’s story carries universal relevance. It speaks to the power of standing up against injustice, even when the odds are stacked against you. It reminds us that global challenges, such as gender discrimination, unequal access to healthcare, or population imbalances, are not abstract problems. They are lived realities for millions of people, and they demand both local and global responses. 

Her journey also highlights the transformative power of one individual’s vision. She could have chosen an easier path. Instead, she chose to dedicate her life to others, building institutions, empowering communities, and challenging systems. In doing so, she proved that leadership is not about titles or positions, but about persistence and purpose. 

Conclusion 

History often remembers leaders who shaped nations, but true transformation is also written by individuals who rise quietly from within communities. Varsha Deshpande belongs to that rare group of changemakers. 

Her work shows that meaningful progress can begin with small steps: a conversation in a village, a legal petition for fairness, or a campaign that questions practices harming women. Over decades, those steps built pathways for countless women to claim dignity, education, and opportunity. 

The UN Population Award in 2025 places her journey on the global stage, yet the heart of her legacy lives in the women who found their voices through her efforts. It lives in the families who now see their daughters as equals, and in the communities that learned to challenge prejudice rather than bow to it.