https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

IPS Bhavna Gupta’s Himmat Initiative Empowering Tribal Women

IPS officer Bhavna Gupta's Himmat initiative adopts a comprehensive approach, providing tribal women with self-defence training, legal awareness, and career counselling. The initiative emphasizes the importance of dialogue, allowing tribal women to voice their concerns and break the silence surrounding oppressive practices. Her efforts have gained significant recognition, both nationally and internationally.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Chhattisgarh, a state with over 31% tribal population, faces the daunting challenge of empowering its women, especially in the northern Sarguja range, where the tribal percentage rises to 55% and female literacy stands at a mere 42%. In this context, IPS officer Bhavna Gupta has emerged as a beacon of change, leading an inspiring initiative to break the barriers that hinder the progress of tribal women.

Indian Masterminds exclusively spoke with the 2014 batch officer to learn more about her project, ‘Himmat’.

BUILDING HIMMAT

Three years ago, Ms. Gupta, serving as the Superintendent of Police in Surajpur, initiated the Himmat project. The initiative aimed to combat the rising crimes against tribal women by providing them with self-defense training, legal awareness, and career counseling. This comprehensive approach garnered an enthusiastic response, empowering over a thousand tribal girls in Surajpur and subsequently expanding to six other tribal areas in Ambikapur.

“Interacting with the women there, I sensed a sort of disconnect between them and the police. They were apprehensive to approach us and there was ignorance of law. We wanted to start an engagement program, primarily focused on tribal girls and victims of crimes, which is how Himmat came into existence,” Ms. Gupta told Indian Masterminds.

A VISION FOR CHANGE

The officer and her team raised awareness about the project and appointed expert self-defense trainers who would take 4-5 weeks of extended classes, generally scheduled in tribal hostels where residential facilities are already there and classes can be held easily.

“We initially mobilized resources from the police department itself as we have self-defense trainers, combat masters, and trained students among others. The impact was very encouraging and gradually, we started getting calls from various tribal institutions who invited us to conduct the program in their institutions as well,” shared Ms. Gupta.

BEYOND SELF-DEFENCE

The Himmat initiative not only equipped tribal girls with self-defense skills but also imparted legal knowledge and career guidance. This multifaceted approach not only reduced crime rates but also led to a decline in school dropouts among girls. As a result, parents were encouraged to invest in their daughters’ education, breaking the cycle of premature marriages and human trafficking.

“We also selected some of the girls who were extremely enthusiastic to do well in sports. We provided them with advanced training and they participated in the traditional malkham sports. Some of them got selected in national-level tournaments. The group was prepared and represented rope malkham in various district and state level administrative programs which was very encouraging,” she told Indian Masterminds.

AMPLIFYING VOICES

Recognizing the power of dialogue, the officer and her team conducted regular sessions on women’s rights. By encouraging tribal women to voice their concerns, the initiative broke the silence that perpetuated oppressive practices. These sessions not only raised awareness but also instilled a sense of empowerment among the women.

POLICE MITAN: STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BONDS

To bolster the initiative, local police Mitan were established, acting as friends and allies for tribal women. These community liaisons played a pivotal role in reporting crimes against women and preventing incidents such as child marriages.

“The synergy between the police force and the community became a cornerstone in sustaining the progress initiated by Himmat,” she shared.

RECOGNITIONS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Ms. Gupta’s exemplary efforts were acknowledged when she received the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership Award in community policing.

Furthermore, the Himmat initiative was recognized with the ‘Nexus of Good’ FICCI award, solidifying its status as a scalable and replicable model for empowering tribal women.

The officer’s Himmat initiative stands as a testament to the power of community-driven change. By providing tribal women with education, legal awareness, and self-defense skills, the initiative has not only reduced crime rates but also fostered a sense of independence and confidence among these women.

In breaking the barriers of gender inequality and violence, Ms. Gupta and her team have paved the way for a brighter and more empowered future for tribal women in Chhattisgarh.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Indian Police Services IPS Officer
Champaran to Get 6 SPs: Bihar Govt Approves New IPS Posts to Ease Police Workload - Details Inside
IAS IPS
Marriage Brings Top Bureaucrats to Rajasthan: 6 IAS-IPS Officers, Including 4 Women, Shift Cadres in 5 Months - Full Details Inside
IFS Dhananjay Mohan
Uttarakhand’s Top Forest Officer IFS Dhananjay Mohan Takes Sudden VRS Amid Sapling Procurement Row; Samir Sinha Gets Addl Charg
IFS Kshitij Saxena
Who Is IFS Kshitij Saxena, Appointed as the New DFO (Territorial) of Gangtok, Sikkim?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai - resized
Chhattisgarh: CM Vishnu Deo Sai Launches Chief Minister Bus Service Scheme; Push for Connectivity and Development in Bastar and Surguja
CM Pushkar Dhami-resized
Uttarakhand: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Unveils First Yoga Policy; Bhararisain to Emerge as Global Yoga Capital
IPS Laxmi Singh
UP: IPS Laxmi Singh, Commissioner of Gautam Budh Nagar Police, Cracks Down on Laxity, Suspends Officers over Crime Control Failures
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
Uttar Pradesh to Relocate Forest Dwellers to Curb Human-Wildlife Conflict, Rs. 22 Crore Compensation Package Drafted - All Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
What ill-fated pilots of AI171 may have gone through in those 40 seconds before the crash? Intro:
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s 27-Year Odyssey with Indian Railways | Exclusive Interview
Monika Singh
The Civil Servant Who Finds Peace in Poetry
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Ravinder Nandal IDES
IDES Ravinder Nandal's Story of Self-Made Success
Balancing fatherhood, full-time jobs, and six UPSC attempts, Ravinder Nandal’s story is one of perseverance,...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Indian Police Services IPS Officer
Champaran to Get 6 SPs: Bihar Govt Approves New IPS Posts to Ease Police Workload - Details Inside
IAS IPS
Marriage Brings Top Bureaucrats to Rajasthan: 6 IAS-IPS Officers, Including 4 Women, Shift Cadres in 5 Months - Full Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
Monika Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT