Mittal Patel
Mittal Patel | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 January 1981 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Indian Social and Environmental Activist |
| Organization(s) | Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM), Vimukt Foundation (VF) |
| Known for | Founded VSSM |
| Spouse | Maulik Patel |
| Awards | Real Heroes Award, Nari Shakti Puraskar |
| Website | www |
Mittal Maulik Patel is an Indian social and environmental activist, known for her work with marginalized and nomadic communities in Gujarat. She is the founder, Secretary, and Managing Trustee of Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM), an organization working on social justice, education, livelihood support, environmental sustainability, and community development.
Early life
[edit]Patel was born in Shankhalpur, Mehsana district, Gujarat, into a farming family involved in agriculture and animal husbandry. She completed her postgraduate studies in journalism at Gujarat University.[citation needed]
In 2004, she received a research fellowship from the Charkha Development Communication Network to study the socio-economic conditions of migrant sugarcane laborers in South Gujarat. During this period, she lived with laborer families and witnessed their poor living conditions and systemic neglect, which inspired her to dedicate her career to social work.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Early Work
After completing her fellowship, Patel joined Janpath, where she was introduced to nomadic and de-notified tribes. She observed that these communities faced social discrimination, lacked identity documents, and were often excluded from government welfare schemes.
In 2005, she began working to provide legal recognition, documentation, and basic support to these communities. Her early work included facilitating voter ID cards and ration cards for families without official records.
Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM)
In 2010, Patel founded Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM) with a small team. The organization has since grown to over 200 members and operates across Gujarat, focusing on education, livelihood support, housing, water conservation, and environmental initiatives.
Key programs under her leadership include:
- Human Rights & Citizenship Advocacy: Facilitated legal documentation for over 750,000 individuals.
- Swavalamban – Livelihood Support: Provided interest-free loans to 12,000+ individuals for micro-enterprises and education.
- Mavjat – Elderly Assistance: Monthly ration kits for over 750 elderly individuals.
- Education: Hosts and educates over 600 children in two residential facilities.
- Housing Support: Built 1,950+ homes and provided land for 4,000+ families.
- Water Conservation: Rejuvenation of 380 lakes and recharge of borewells.
- Tree Plantation: Planted over 18 lakh trees in 295 village forests, achieving more than 85% survival rate.
Patel emphasizes the integration of social and environmental welfare, including conservation projects to restore natural habitats for both people and wildlife.
Through her work, Patel has facilitated access to education, livelihood support, housing, and legal recognition for to considerable amount of families across 26 districts in Gujarat. She has also contributed significantly to environmental sustainability by planting trees and reviving water bodies in drought-prone regions.
Awards and recognition
[edit]- Social Changemaker of the Year (2025) by the BetterIndia [1]
- Climate Change Award (2021–22) – Government of Gujarat.
- Nari Shakti Puraskar (2018)[2] – State and National recognition for women empowerment.
- Asmita Puraskar (2018) – ABP Asmita.
- Giants International Award for Women Achievers (2016)
- Glory of Gujarat Award (2015) – Indian Council of Social Welfare.
- TED Talk Invitee[3] (2013)
- Girnar Seva Shiromani Puraskar (2013) – Doordarshan DD Girnar.
- Ashoka Fellowship (2013) – Recognized for social entrepreneurship.
- Real Hero Award (2012) – CNN-IBN and Reliance Foundation.
- Drivers of Change Award – India Today.
Advisory Roles and Publications
[edit]- Honorary Member, Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic Communities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.[citation needed]
- Member,Cheetah Task Force, National Tiger Conservation Authority.[citation needed]
- Honorary Member, Women Development Cell, Indian Institute of Teacher Education, Gujarat.[citation needed]
- Advisor, Startup and Innovation Policy Advisory Committee, Babasaheb Ambedkar National Open University.[citation needed]
- Honorary Director, The Kalupur Commercial Co-operative Bank Ltd.[citation needed]
Publications
Patel has authored several books highlighting the realities of marginalized communities and environmental issues:
- Sarnama Vinana Manavio (People Without Addresses) (2019, 2022) – Awarded Shri Bhaskarrav Vidhwas Paritoshik by Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
- …Pan Ahinyaan Sukh Nathi Aavtun! (2022)
- Ine Jakaro Kem Devay? (2023)
- Jal Khutya? (2025)
She is also a regular columnist in Gujarati newspapers such as NavGujarat Samay, Phulchhab, Gujarat Guardian, and Gujarat Mitra.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Gupta, Shivani. "Meet Mittal Patel, Who Skipped Her IAS Dreams to Uplift India's "Criminal" Tribes". thebetterindia.com. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ Ministry of Women & Child Development Govt of India (15 March 2018). Mittal Patel - Nari Shakti Awardee 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ TEDx Talks (6 February 2013). Giving an identity to 100 million Nomadic tribes in India: Mittal Patel at TEDxGateway. Retrieved 4 October 2025 – via YouTube.