#WomensDaySpecial: The Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand and their Women Leaders
Almost 14% of forests in Uttarakhand are governed by van panchayats or the village forest councils, the country’s oldest forest management system. However, the van panchayats of Sarmoli and Shankhdhura villages are unique — they are led by local women.
This #WomensDay we celebrate the women guardians from the mountain state and their intimate ties with their community forests.
A Roundglass Sustain filmDirected by Neha Dixit
Updated July 29, 2025
A Roundglass Sustain filmDirected by Neha Dixit
Updated July 29, 2025
9 min watch
Almost 14% of forests in Uttarakhand are governed by van panchayats or the village forest councils, the country’s oldest forest management system. However, the van panchayats of Sarmoli and Shankhdhura villages are unique — they are led by local women.
This #WomensDay we celebrate the women guardians from the mountain state and their intimate ties with their community forests.
Watch the film in English. To turn on subtitles, click on the CC icon at the bottom of the YouTube video. A red line will appear under the icon once the subtitles have been enabled. Thumbnail: Neha Dixit
is a filmmaker with 20 years of experience making visual stories and documentary films. She creates narratives in an attempt to understand the possibilities of sustenance; economic, environmental, and social. Her life and work are driven by choices that are gentle on Earth.
Sustain Team
We are a driven group of people from diverse backgrounds, bound by an abiding love for India’s natural world.
