Maya Vishwakarma is called the Padwoman of India because of the initiatives she has launched to promote and educate the masses about the importance of menstrual hygiene.
DNA Women Achievers Awards 2023: As Women’s Day 2023 is right around the corner, let us take a moment to appreciate the remarkable women who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the female population, like Maya Vishwakarma, also known as the Padwoman of India.
Maya Vishwakarma is one of the pioneers when it comes to women's empowerment and educating the female population about menstrual hygiene. Through her initiative and multiple programmes, Maya has also increased the reach of menstrual products in rural areas.
Because of her hard work and dedication to providing female hygiene products even in the most remote areas of the country, Maya Vishwakarma is also known as the “Padwoman of India”. Know all about Maya Vishwakarma’s story.
Who is ‘Padwoman of India’ Maya Vishwakarma?
Maya Vishwakarma, also known as "The Padwoman of India," is the founder and chairperson of the Sukarma Foundation. A native of Mehragaon village in the Narsinghpur district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, Maya has been living in San Francisco, California, USA, for nearly a decade.
Completing her schooling and higher studies at premier institutes in India, Maya went to San Francisco to pursue her career in Cancer Biology Research, and serve people, at the UCSF Medical Center, all the while having a strong connection to her native land and the issues that persist among the people.
After her studies, Maya Vishwakarma got inspired by Padman Arunachalam Murganatham and his remarkable achievements promoting hygienic practices in his home state of Tamil Nadu in India. She researched a few more Indian startups that produce affordable sanitary napkins using semi-automatic pad-making machines and later founded the Sukarma Foundation.
Sukarma Foundation started manufacturing sanitary pads under the brand name No Tension at a low cost, providing employment to women in rural areas. The initiative is also reducing the taboos attached to periods and spreading menstrual awareness.
Further, Maya Vishwakarma is also leading initiatives with the aim of protecting tribal and rural girls and women from infections such as RTIs (Reproductive Tract Infections), UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections), and Cervical Cancer by educating them about menstrual hygiene and providing hygienic and low-cost sanitary pads.
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