Renu Paswan

Tejaswini Bharat

Chairperson, India

If you look at the history of India, you'll see that women have been treated like second-class citizens. They're forced to marry young and have children before they're ready. They don't get the same education as men do. They're expected to be submissive—to their husbands and their families, but also to an idea of womanhood that doesn't always match up with their own desires or needs. Renu Paswan is one woman who never let these stereotypes hold her back. She grew up in a small village in Bihar, India; where she saw misery on a daily basis, domestic violence, brutal torturers, patriarchal society and male dominance. But Renu didn't let any of this stop her from pursuing her education or from trying to improve herself as a person. She wanted to break free from the shackles of tradition and find her own path in life. And so she did—20 years later, she was able to return to Bihar and serve her community with love and respect for all that it had been through for her personally as well as for everyone else around them. It is a story of grit and determination. Renu's story is inspirational: not only does she show us how we can overcome obstacles but also tell us how to handle any situation with patience being strong & independent. The story of Renu Paswan is one that shook the world. But she did it anyway! And now she's going to use her knowledge and experience to change the lives of other women and girls across India—specially Bihar and beyond. Renu is currently working with "The Voice For No Voice" and “Tejaswini Bharat Foundation” to fight for women's rights in Bihar. She wants to make sure that every woman has access to education and protection from abuse—and she knows that only together can we achieve this goal! She put her voice to top notch world leaders, politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers etc to bring change in policies providing more rights to Women, enhancing women empowerment. Her struggles paid off when she was invited at Rashtrapati Bhawan by "The President Of India." to meet “Draupadi Murmu ji” & share her mission & long term vision. This was her Oscar winning moment. This is her story which influenced our national & international leaders. She says: "Don't go through life trying to be as small, silent, accommodating and convenient as possible. Speak your mind even if your voice shakes. Don't subscribe to extreme forms of modesty; own your beauty, intelligence and energy; be gentle yet fierce always.