Surabhi Yadav is a visionary gender and rural development practitioner who has dared to challenge one of India’s most persistent myths.
Surabhi Yadav: The Idea Behind Sajhe Sapne – From Livelihoods to Aspirations
The phrase Sajhe Sapne translates to “Shared Dreams”, and it perfectly captures the spirit of the organisation. Founded and led by Surabhi Yadav, Sajhe Sapne exists to ensure that young women from marginalized rural communities do not merely survive—but dream, choose, and excel.
The organisation focuses on women aged 18 to 23, a critical phase where education often ends and early marriage or informal labour begins. Sajhe Sapne intervenes at this moment to replace limitation with possibility.
Mission
To empower a generation of skilled, confident rural women to learn, earn, and lead in the formal workforce.
Sapna Centers: India’s Grassroots Community Colleges
One of Surabhi Yadav’s most powerful innovations is the creation of Sapna Centers—residential, rural community colleges designed specifically for young women from marginalized caste backgrounds.
Located in regions such as Himachal Pradesh, these centers offer far more than vocational training. They provide a safe, immersive ecosystem where women experience independence, self-belief, and professional identity—often for the first time in their lives.
What Makes Sapna Centers Unique
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Year-long, intensive training programs
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Instruction in regional languages for true accessibility
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Residential learning that builds confidence and agency
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Equal focus on technical skills, communication, and personal growth
Surabhi Yadav: Skills for the Modern Workforce
Sajhe Sapne prepares women not for “any job,” but for future-ready careers.
Core Training Areas
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Coding and digital skills
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Project and development management
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Teaching and education leadership
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Entrepreneurship and professional readiness
Graduates emerge not just employable, but career-oriented—with a clear sense of identity, ambition, and direction.
The Rise of the ‘Sapnewaalis’
The women who graduate from Sajhe Sapne proudly call themselves Sapnewaalis—women who dare to dream.
For many of them, the impact is life-altering:
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They become the first steady earners in their families
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They gain economic independence
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They delay early marriages
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They become decision-makers, not dependents
Entire family dynamics shift. Generational cycles of poverty begin to break—not through aid, but through agency.
Today, Sajhe Sapne has built a Community of Hope with:
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100+ trained professionals
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Representation from 60+ villages
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A growing grassroots leadership movement led by rural women themselves
Surabhi Yadav: Bridging Two Worlds
The inspiration behind Sajhe Sapne is deeply personal.
Surabhi Yadav is an alumna of IIT Delhi, where she earned her B.Tech and M.Tech Dual Degree in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology (2014). She later completed her Master’s in Development Practice at the University of California, Berkeley (2019).
While her education opened doors globally, Surabhi remained deeply aware of a stark contrast—the limited opportunities available to women in her own extended family in Bundelkhand.
Instead of turning away, she turned back.
Soon after Berkeley, Surabhi chose to settle in rural India, dedicating her life to building systems that rural women truly need—not charity models, but institutions of dignity and hope.
Project Basanti: Women at Leisure
Surabhi Yadav’s feminist thinking goes beyond employment. Her internationally recognised initiative, Project Basanti: Women at Leisure, reframes time as a feminist issue.
The project has documented:
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800+ photos and videos of women and girls at leisure
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Stories from rural and semi-urban India
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Joy, rest, play, and freedom as acts of liberation
With an online community of 35,000+ people, Project Basanti has reshaped conversations in academia, media, art, and policy—showing what freedom can look like when women reclaim their time.
Surabhi Yadav: Global Recognition, Grounded Impact
Surabhi Yadav’s work has been featured on platforms such as The Guardian, TEDx, and Vogue, and she has received numerous honours, including:
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Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award – IIT Delhi (2024)
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Acumen Fellowship
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GP Birla Fellowship for Women’s Leadership
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Distinguished Alumni Award, UC Berkeley
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Pravah Changeloom Fellowship
In formally honouring her, IIT Delhi recognised Surabhi Yadav’s outstanding contributions to public service, stating that she has brought immense pride to the institution.