It all began with a phone call from my nephew Pervez in June 2021, telling me that my elder sister Sabiha (photo) had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. My elder brother Sohail, my sister Shehla, and I rushed to the village of Jyothipalya in Magadi, Karnataka, where Sabiha had been living since 2013. She had invested all her retirement savings in two acres of land with a simple but powerful purpose: to create a space where local girls could learn and grow. Even in extreme pain, she remained energetic and hopeful, sharing her dream with us — a learning centre where village children could learn computers and explore their creativity.
The architect, Sailesh Vunnam, was already staying at the farm, and the design was ready. The trust had been registered, but there was no money. From that June until March 2022, I travelled to Magadi every month — sometimes alone, sometimes with Shehla or Sohail, and sometimes with all three of us together. Along with the trustees of Ajji’s Learning Centre — Manju Balasubramaniam, Suja Swaminathan, Ganga Joshi, Prasan Shankar, Shabana Mitra, and Reshma Zaheer — who had worked closely with Sabiha, we reached out to friends, family, and her former students. As word spread, the community responded with warmth and generosity. Funds began to come in, construction started, and we pushed forward with determination to see the centre open while Sabiha was still with us.
Ajji’s Learning Centre (ALC) was inaugurated on March 5, 2022. Exactly one month later, on April 5, Sabiha left us, placing a profound responsibility on our shoulders.
Yesterday, as we gathered at the centre, we missed her many times. Yet we also felt her presence in the living reality that ALC is finally fulfilling her dream.
On March 7, 2026, the quiet landscape near the Savandurga Reserve Forest came alive in a remarkable way. Under a forest canopy of 100 hand-painted umbrellas — each decorated by our students to symbolize protection and personal agency — more than 300 villagers, students, and activists gathered at ALC to celebrate One Billion Rising (OBR) 2026.
As I looked out at the “Umbrella Canopy,” I saw more than an installation. I saw a symbolic sky where every woman has the right to own her future and her body. This year’s theme, “Rise for Our Bodies, Our Earth, Our Future,” felt especially meaningful in this rural landscape.
The afternoon was anchored by our chief guest, the renowned actress Sudha Rani, whose reflections on women’s autonomy resonated deeply as she distributed prizes for the elocution and painting competitions. The stage soon became a space for raw and deeply local expressions. Performers from ALC moved the audience with presentations on early marriage and “The Three Faces of Life,” tracing a woman’s journey toward liberation. Ashwini delivered a powerful solo dance on bodily autonomy, while the Siddhaganga Nrutya Kala Mandira used drama to root these global ideas firmly within the local cultural context. The ground seemed to vibrate with the energy of 35 surrounding villages as nine girl students from DPS North Bangalore performed traditional Dollu and Kamsale beats.
The energy of the gathering rose to a crescendo with music. The soulful songs of Shatabdi Das, accompanied by poet, writer, and podcaster Mohua Chinappa and guitarist Dheeraj Banerjea, had the entire audience swaying. When Shatabdi broke into “Dama Dam Mast Kalandar,” the spirit of celebration took over completely. At least fifty children and young people rushed to the stage, dancing with abandon in a moment of collective joy and defiance.
The celebration was also the culmination of months of outreach. In the lead-up to the event, ALC collaborated with Vimochana to organise gender workshops across six local colleges, sparking conversations about equality, safety, and dignity.
The momentum continues. Starting Monday, Seher Hashmi from Delhi will begin a ten-day intensive series of mental health workshops across 22 schools and colleges to sensitise the wider community. Dev Desai, a social activist from Gujarat, will accompany her to share his experiences from the frontlines of the Covid crisis.
Supported by Moonfrog Labs, the event was made possible through the tireless efforts of Pallavi N, who spent more time with Sabiha than any of us, along with Manish Kumar, an inspiring young activist, Afsana, Gulshan, Amit, and nearly fifteen other volunteers who worked quietly behind the scenes.
As I watched the certificates being handed out, a realization settled in. Each umbrella in that canopy represents someone — a student, a farmer, a woman — who has chosen to rise. We are not merely building a tent of protection; we are building a sky where every woman has the right to claim her future.
Sabiha’s dream is no longer just a memory. It is alive, expanding, and thriving.
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*Human rights activist. Founder, ANHAD
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