Radha Bahin Bhatt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Radha Bhatt (1931-10-16)October 16, 1931 (age 94) Dhurka village, nearAlmora,Uttarakhand, India |
| Occupation(s) | Social worker,Environmentalist,Activist |
| Known for | Women's empowerment, Environmental conservation, Gandhian activism,Chipko movement |
| Awards |
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Radha Bahin Bhatt (born October 16, 1931), also known asRadha Bhatt, is an IndianGandhian social worker, environmentalist, and women's empowerment activist fromUttarakhand.[1][2] She was awarded thePadma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor, in 2025 in the field of social work.[3][4]
Radha Bahin Bhatt was born on October 16, 1931 in Dhurka village, nearAlmora, Uttarakhand.[5] She was deeply influenced bySarla Behn, a prominent Gandhian social activist who was a disciple ofMahatma Gandhi.[5][6]
In 1951, she joined Sarla Behn at the Kasturba Mahila Utthan Mandal in Kausani, an ashram dedicated to the upliftment and education of women in the hills of Uttarakhand.[7]
Radha Bhatt's activism was deeply influenced by her Gandhian philosophy. In 1957, she actively participated in theBhoodan movement initiated byVinoba Bhave, joiningpadayatras (foot marches) for land reform across Uttar Pradesh and Assam.[6] Over the subsequent decades, she became an influential voice of social change in Uttarakhand. She started running the Kasturba Mahila Uthan Mandal in 1966.[5][8] She established vocational training schools for women, teaching skills like spinning, weaving, and knitting to make them self-sufficient.[9] She also spearheaded initiatives like the 'One Hour School' for girls to improve access to education.[8] Her efforts included organising women against alcoholism, which led to the closure of liquor shops in several districts.[7][5]
During the 1970s, as conservation concerns in Himalayas grew, she became an active participant in theChipko movement, a non-violent grassroots resistance where villagers, predominantly women, embraced trees to prevent their felling.[8] Her activism further extended to advocating for sustainable development practices, and campaigning against open mining operations and large dam constructions in the fragile mountain ecology that threatened local ecosystems and livelihoods.[7] Alongside these protests, she led significant afforestation drives, contributing to the planting of thousands of trees across the Pithoragarh and Almora districts.[8]
Over her long career, Radha Bhatt has held significant leadership positions in various national Gandhian organizations.[5] She served as the chairperson of the Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi and has been closely associated with the Himalaya Sewa Sangh and the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, continuing to promote the principles ofGram Swaraj (village self-rule) andSarvodaya (progress for all).[7]