Aalochana, which was one of the organisations to be selected to be a part of the UNDP’s capacity building programme for elected women representatives spread over 10 states, had worked in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. “Our work in Gadchiroli brought us into contact with women like Bele, a zilla parishad member and chairperson of Women and Child Development Committee from Latur, and Latifa Sheikh, sarpanch of Raimoha gram panchayat in Beed. The focus was also on women achievers from Haryana, Uttaranchal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, by networking with the welfare organisations in those areas that were selected by the UNDP as well” said Kotwal.

“Our motive has always been to document and disseminate, and a calendar was the unanimous choice to project the achievements of these women to the world,” said Kotwal. “Throughout the year, the user of the calendar will get a glimpse of 12 inspiring breakthroughs into politics, traditionally considered to be a male domain, by women” she added.