Vaidehi Bhargava
Dr. Janak Palta McGilligan, a Padma Shri awardee, is a remarkable social worker and environmentalist who has dedicated her life to sustainable living and empowering rural and tribal women in India. Her journey is deeply personal, beginning with a transformative experience at the age of 15 when she underwent a life-saving open-heart surgery. This event shaped her philosophy of life, leading her to focus on giving back to society and the environment.
In 1985, she co-founded the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Indore, where she spent over three decades empowering more than 6,000 tribal women through education, skill development, and training in sustainable practices like solar cooking. Her work is particularly focused on renewable energy and organic farming. She introduced solar cookers to villages, improving the health and livelihoods of thousands of women while reducing deforestation and pollution.
After her husband’s passing, she established the Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development in his memory. This center is an epitome of her commitment to environmental conservation. Her own home in Indore, designed as a zero-waste, zero-electricity house, is a model for sustainability. It relies entirely on solar energy, produces its own food, and generates no garbage—a living example of how one can achieve a self-sufficient lifestyle.
Janak’s philosophy extends beyond environmentalism to embrace a holistic vision of life. She emphasizes that sustainability is not just about saving the environment but also about fostering a compassionate society that nurtures people and ecosystems alike. Through her advocacy, she continues to inspire a movement toward a greener, more equitable future.