Kanchan Bhandari

Trustee / Popular Education and Action Centre (PEACE)

A resident of Nainital, Uttarakhand, Kanchan Bhandari came in touch with PEACE during a training session on Panchayati Raj in 1997 while working with Chirag, an organization focused on local governance and gender rights. Since then, she has been a constant companion of PEACE, becoming a board member on October 15, 2010.

A Master’s in Sociology and Social Work, Kanchan founded Vimarsh, a non-profit organization, in 2001. With over 20 years of experience as a social worker, Kanchan has dedicated herself to creating a world free of class barriers, undivided by religion, and one that is beautiful and safe for women and children.

At Vimarsh, Kanchan was nominated to several district-level committees, including the Child Protection Committee, P.C.P.N.D.T. Act Committee (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act), Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act Committee, and services under the Domestic Violence Act. In 2019, she received the Gender Equality Champion Award from the Nainital district administration. In 2020, the Government of Uttarakhand conferred upon her the prestigious Tilu Rauteli Award.

Through Vimarsh, Kanchan has worked tirelessly to combat gender discrimination and ensure women’s rights. The organization has also been actively engaged in local governance, working to bring about change at the grassroots level.