India has made some progress in women’s representation in governance. Currently, there are 74 women in total in the Lok Sabha and 39 in the Rajya Sabha. Meanwhile, in Indian villages, tradition often sidelines women from leadership.

When this has been the scenario for years, three powerful voices are rewriting the rules and future of other women. The Better India meets Prabala Kerketta, Alka Mahto from Jharkhand, and Sunita Bhalavi from Madhya Pradesh — three sarpanches who are leading their communities with courage, compassion, and clarity.

All three have become changemakers after pursuing noble professions such as nursing and teaching. Today, they show us what inclusive governance looks like when led by women. Here’s a glimpse into their lives, their motivations, and everything about their inspiring work.

Excerpts from the interview.

Q: Tell us a little about your journey — what inspired you to become a Sarpanch?

A: Each of these women stepped into leadership from a different doorway, but with the same motivation — to serve. Prabala Kerketta, Sarpanch at Dighia Panchayat, was a nurse in Jharkhand who would walk 16 kilometres daily to attend college. Even while on maternity leave, she found herself helping neighbours during COVID-19. “People trusted me and I wanted to do more,” she says.

For Sunita Bhalavi, Sarpanch of Barcha Buzurg in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, it was the everyday connection with villagers that sparked her path. “I would go door-to-door helping people link Aadhaar cards. That hands-on work made me realise how much change was possible,” she recalls while in conversation with The Better India. Despite........

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