Soroptimist International of Bangalore-India

27/04/2026

Soroptimist International Bangalore – Charter Day 2026
📍 Tree Tops, Koramangala | 🗓️ 25 April 2026
SIB celebrated its Charter Day with purpose and energy under the leadership of President Sudha Manandi. The event brought together inspiring conversations, impactful initiatives, and a growing community committed to women’s empowerment.
✨ Key Highlights:
• Induction of new members: Vyjayathi, Dr.Anagha Mitra, Snehalatha Naidu, Sushma & Leela MN
• Panel on Self-Worth & Identity in a Changing World by Pampa Chowdhury & Swati Dokania, moderated by Dr. Rema Ramchandran
• Inspiring journeys shared by Mitti Café team on inclusive employment
• ₹1 lakh cheque presented for a Biogas Project at Belaku Academy, supporting sustainability & inclusive living
With participation from leaders across sectors, the celebration reflected SIB’s commitment to
A meaningful day of connection, collaboration, and purpose. 🌿

19/04/2026

Driving change through waste to wealth 🌱♻️
Our ongoing project with Dala continues for this financial year, we’re strengthening women-led upcycling initiatives, transforming textile waste into beautiful, useful products with simple, low-cost design techniques. With guidance from Bharati Maheshwari, 12 women are refining their stitching, detailing, and product design skills to build sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurial pathways.
The journey continues, scaling impact, supporting livelihoods, and creating circular economy solutions.

17/03/2026

It was more than a celebration, it was a powerful tapestry of journeys, resilience, and legacy.

On one end stood Indumati, a woman who rewrote destiny. From being a waste collector to becoming an entrepreneur in the circular economy, her story is not just about survival, it is about transformation. She did not merely step out of poverty; she redefined value itself, turning what the world discards into dignity, livelihood, and purpose. Her journey reminds us that true sustainability is not just environmental it is deeply human. Hasiru Dala has mentored her to what she is today!

And then, in a beautiful contrast yet quiet harmony, came the sarees.

Curated with care by Bharti Maheshwari
the collection was the memory, inheritance, and identity woven across 150 years. Each saree carried whispers of the women who wore it, their lives, their milestones, their silent strength. These were not garments; they were stories draped in tradition, carrying the weight of culture and the grace of generations.

10/03/2026

10/03/2026

🌿 SIB Women of the Year 2026- Ms. Indumati
An inspiring woman whose journey reflects courage, resilience, and leadership in climate action and social transformation.
Nearly 18 years ago, Indumathi began her journey as a street-based waste picker in Bengaluru, working in one of the most invisible and under-recognised sectors of the urban economy. What began as a struggle for survival gradually became a powerful story of empowerment, entrepreneurship, and environmental leadership.
Through her association with Hasiru Dala, she received official recognition from BBMP, and soon rose to become an operator at a Dry Waste Collection Centre. Despite having no formal schooling, Indumathi displayed remarkable numerical ability, business acumen, and leadership skills.
In 2018, she founded Swachha Bhoomi Enterprises and Surya Enterprises, transforming herself from a waste picker into a social entrepreneur, while creating dignified livelihood opportunities for others in her community.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Indumathi has worked tirelessly to ensure children in her community stay in school, and she actively promotes safe and responsible communities by taking a strong stand against domestic violence and substance abuse.
Her voice has also reached the global stage. In 2022, she represented Asian waste pickers at the Nations Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee in Uruguay, advocating for a global plastics treaty, reduction of toxic plastics, and a just transition for workers in the recycling sector.
Continuing her leadership in environmental sustainability, she now leads the Textile Recovery Facility initiative, connecting 16 Dry Waste Collection Centres and diverting more than 87,000 kg of textile waste from landfills, contributing to recycling, reuse, and the circular economy.
Her work was recently recognised at Bharat Tex 2025 in Delhi, where she engaged with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the urgent need for sustainable textile waste management.
International Bangalore in collaboration with Dala supported 13 women with sewing machines, washing machine for the TRF to make products out of textile materials, this acts as an alternate source of income to the waste collectors and segregators.
From waste picker to entrepreneur, community leader, and global advocate, Indumathi’s journey reminds us that true climate leadership often begins at the grassroots.

Event Details: 📅 Date: 13 March 2026 ⏰ Time: 3:00 PM 📍 Venue: Samagata, 4th Floor, Church Street, Bangalore 📍 Google Maps:
https://lnkd.in/gJudHJ2c

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07/03/2026

This International Women's Day, we curated an intimate afternoon of reflection, heritage, and the powerful stories woven into the sarees we cherish.

"A Life Lived in Sarees" is more than a presentation of textiles; it is a space for conversation and emotion.

We are deeply honored to feature a special segment on Indumati. Indumathi’s story is a powerful example of transformation, tracing her journey from a marginalized waste picker in Bengaluru to a recognized leader, entrepreneur, and global voice for waste pickers, facilitated by the NGO Hasiru Dala. Her journey from the streets to global advocacy platforms embodies the theme of International Women’s Day—investing in women and accelerating progress.

Join us as we celebrate the legacies we inherit and the new paths we forge.

Event Details: 📅 Date: 13 March 2026 ⏰ Time: 3:00 PM 📍 Venue: Samagata, 4th Floor, Church Street, Bangalore 📍 Google Maps: https://lnkd.in/gJudHJ2c

In Collaboration with: International Bangalore Soroptimist International India
Hosted by: Maheshwari & Pavithra Muddaya | Dr. Jamuna Ravi | Hasiru Dala

02/03/2026

Degree students at Vasavi Educational Trust College (VET) had the privilege of listening to Ms. Pallabi Ghosh speak on one of the gravest human rights violations of our time — Human Trafficking.
Through powerful real-life experiences, she unpacked the causes — poverty, gender inequality, migration vulnerability, lack of awareness — and the devastating consequences: trauma, exploitation, loss of childhood, and broken futures.
More importantly, she shared her journey from awareness to action — working at the grassroots, supporting rescue and rehabilitation, collaborating with law enforcement, and advocating systemic change.
Her message to students was clear: Education must translate into social responsibility. She encouraged youth to use their skills — technology, commerce, communication — to contribute meaningfully to the social sector and create sustainable impact.
This session strongly aligns with:
🎯 SDG 5 – Gender Equality
🎯 SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth
🎯 SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
🎯 SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Human trafficking is not just a crime — it is a structural social injustice that demands collective action.
Conversations like these shape not just careers, but conscience.
VET [ Vasavi Educational Trust ]

19/02/2026

🌸 World Women’s Day Celebrations – International Bangalore
The World Women’s Day celebrations at Soroptimist International Bangalore (SIB) begin's from 28th February and continue throughout the month of March - a month dedicated to honoring, empowering, and advancing women and girls. Aligned with the SDGs goals, SIB’s celebrations will feature a series of impactful activities, dialogues, recognitions, and community initiatives that advance:
✔ Gender Equality (SDG 5)
✔ Quality Education (SDG 4)
✔ Economic Empowerment
✔ Women’s Health & Leadership
✔ Social Inclusion and Dignity
Throughout the month, we will:
· Recognize women changemakers and grassroots leaders
· Conduct awareness and empowerment programs
· Facilitate leadership and skill-building initiatives
· Engage communities in meaningful conversations on gender parity
At SIB, we believe empowerment is not symbolic - it is structural.
It is not seasonal, it is sustained.
As we celebrate women, we also reaffirm our commitment to creating equitable opportunities, amplifying voices, and building pathways for lasting change.
Pallabi Gosh's will talk on "Social Injustice: Causes, Consequences, & the Path Forward & Human Trafficking: A grave Social Injustice" to young women and men at VET First Grade College.

03/02/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/soroptimist-international-bangalore-3829b1399_worldeducationday-stemeducation-futureoflearning-activity-7421540938298220544-LdHC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAHAkPQBHP5LcOck2V85QDGO1C-Iv7R9xdI. On , Soroptimist International Bangalore brings to you a webinar on , highlighting its growing need and relevance in today’s education ecosystem.
The session will explore how STEM education builds future-ready skills, strengthens digital literacy, and nurtures innovation and problem-solving, while aligning education with workforce and societal needs. The discussion will also connect STEM learning to the UN Sustainable Development Goals—advancing Quality Education (SDG 4), promoting Gender Equality (SDG 5), enabling Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), strengthening Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), and supporting Climate Action (SDG 13).
Join us as we reimagine inclusive, sustainable, and industry-aligned education for a rapidly changing world. Link to the meeting recordings
Link of the meeting recording: https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/eTZOgix1dN3fteY2f86n-_Q7X6m16h_kBmiG_-SM7nc1vsuE_rTHGxG2jGymH7n1.by5PzYublmwjGGzi

🎓 World Education Day Webinar conducted on 24th successfully concluded our World Education Day webinar on STEM Education, bringing together 100+ educators, school leaders, and educationists from across the country, with strong participation from Bengaluru. The ...

02/12/2025

On Sunday, 30th November, SI Bangalore marked the 6th day of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women 2025 by actively participating in Shakti, an evening walkathon held in sarees. The event was inaugurated by Deputy CM Sri D.K Shiva Kumar and organized by Ms. Sowmya Reddy, former MLA from the Jayanagar constituency, and was a resounding success, drawing over 2,000 participants.
It featured multiple stalls showcasing a wide range of activities and initiatives, including one put up by Soroptimist International of Bangalore (SIB). Our special exhibition focused on raising awareness about violence against women, in alignment with the UN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign.

SIB used this platform to highlight its Vision, Mission, and key objectives. A major attraction at the event was the display of upcycled textile waste products—such as bags, mobile pouches, and other accessories—creatively crafted by underprivileged women supported by SIB. The sewing machines donated by SIB played a crucial role in enabling these women to produce high-quality, sustainable items.

These products drew significant attention and sold very well at the SIB stall, providing the women not only an opportunity to showcase their skills but also a means to earn an income. The event proved deeply fulfilling, successfully combining awareness-building with women’s empowerment. Overall, it greatly enhanced visibility for SIB’s work while making a meaningful difference in the lives of the women involved

25/11/2025

Every year, from 25 Nov to 10th Dec (hashtag ), SI observes the global campaign of 16 Days of Activism Against hashtag . SIB intensifies it's advocacy, awareness building, outreach, and community-focused initiatives to highlight and combat violence faced by women and girls.
Soroptimist International Bangalore (SIB) started the campaign for 2025 under the leadership of President Sudha Manandi and her dynamic team. A vibrant walkathon brought together over 200 participants, including enthusiastic Rotaract members from colleges, Vasavi Sharda hostel for girls and citizens from all age groups and walks of life.
Starting at Ashok Pillar to Lalbagh West Gate, the 1 km walk became a powerful awareness movement. Participants held placards at every signal, supported by the Bengaluru Traffic Police, spreading messages on women’s safety to commuters in cars, buses, autos, and on bikes & cycles including a huge community of walkers.
The highlight of the event was the Slogan Writing Contest.
🏆 Faiza, Mount Carmel College won for her impactful message: “Shakti resides in me, shame on you destroys me.”
🏆 Vaishnavi, Jayanagar was also awarded for her powerful slogan: “Don’t let them block your freedom. Every woman deserves to feel SAFE.”
A meaningful day, wonderfully organized and widely appreciated. a Special thanks to Mr. Sathish Manandi. Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) Soroptimist International of Europe
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