Ela Bhatt : A Trailblazer for Underprivileged Women whose Innovative Work has Enhanced Millions of Lives

Ela Bhatt, the founder and former secretary general of Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), explains how growing up in the political and social climate of India’s independence and the Gandhian movement inspired her to establish a group in the 1970s that aimed to advance the status of poor, undocumented women in India.

In this article we will discuss the life journey of Ela Bhatt who made a remarkable difference in the lives of unprivileged women and helped them in becoming self-reliant through her SEWA.

Ela Bhatt’s early life and education

Ela Bhatt was born in India’s Ahmedabad. Her mother, Vanalila Vyas, had been active in the women’s liberation movement and served as secretary of the All India Women’s Conference, which was founded by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. Her father, Sumantrai Bhatt, was a successful lawyer. Her earliest years were spent in the city of Surat, where she started attending the Sarvajanik Girls High School from 1940 to 1948. She was the second of three daughters. In 1952, she graduated from the M.T.B. College (South Gujarat University) in Surat with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Ela enrolled in Ahmedabad’s Sir L.A. Shah Law College after graduating. She got a Gold Medal for her research on Hindu law in 1954 along with her law degree.

Ela Bhatt’s personal life and Awards

Ela Bhatt wed Ramesh Bhatt in 1956, and the two of them later had Amimayi (born in 1958) and Mihir (b. 1959). She and her family are currently residing in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Together with Esther Ocloo and Michaela Walsh, she helped found Women’s World Banking in 1979. From 1980 to 1998, she served as the organization’s chair. She formerly served on the WIEGO board of directors and as chair of the SEWA Cooperative Bank, HomeNet, and the International Alliance of Street Vendors. She served as a Rockefeller Foundation trustee as well.

Ela Bhatt also received the Padma Bhushan and the civilian honour of Padma Shri from the Indian government in 1985 and 1986, respectively. She received the Right Livelihood Award in 1984 as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1977. She was given the Niwano Peace Prize in 2010 in recognition of her efforts to support underprivileged women in India.

“Building a peaceful, productive, and non-violent society is directly proportional to the social and economic empowerment of women.” – Ela Bhatt 

Here’s how Ela Bhatt drove Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to a formidable success and guided million of unprivileged women,

A trip to Israel led to the founding of SEWA, which sowed the concept that cooperatives and unions should collaborate to better the working conditions for labourers. Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) was founded because Elaben Bhatt thought it was vital to unite and organise the self-employed women. These women were able to demand fair treatment after joining a union, which gave them the status of employees. Such women were given a platform by SEWA to develop their abilities and earn a living by being independent.

Like so many unions, SEWA needed financial assistance to carry out its work. Banks refused to give money to these workers because they didn’t have faith in their ability to repay the debts. Consequently, a cooperative bank called SEWA Bank was founded. These women are the owners of a bank for women. It was registered with the Indian Federal Reserve. Elaben assisted many families in raising their level of living by offering a straightforward method of saving money and helping the women to arrange their finances. Additionally, SEWA assisted women who required assistance with housing, childcare, healthcare, and protection from domestic violence.

She is well-known as “Elaben” and has received various honours from all over the world. She served on the planning commission and was a member of the upper house of the Indian parliament. Ela Bhatt’s story has been of being a trailblazer for the underprivileged women.