2005
Paromita Goswami
Founder
Elgar Pratishthan and Shramik Elgar
Paromita Goswami seeks to empower some of India’s poorest and most marginalized citizens: the residents of the Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts of the state of Maharashtra. To protect their rights and help them access justice, she has created several non-profit organizations including Elgar Pratishthan, which concentrates on the economic and educational development of rural communities, and Shramik Elgar, a 10,000-member union of rural workers.
Trained as a lawyer, Paromita has brought legal challenges on behalf of these members to India’s Supreme Court. Regarded as one of the top labor organizers in the region, she built a training center for rural community organizers. She is also involved in strengthening elected representatives of local self governance, organizing women against violence and implementation of social justice legislation.Â
The 2005 World Fellows
The 2005 Yale World Fellows include the vice president of a leading South Korean conglomerate, the chief of staff for the President of Lithuania, the Philippine Secretary of Energy, the director of Israel’s first legal advocacy group for Arab minority rights, the former Minister of Trade of Panama, the Chief Superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, one of China’s most influential television anchormen and the former governor of the third largest state in Venezuela. “Now in its fourth year, the Yale World Fellows Program has created a vibrant network of leaders spanning more than 50 countries around the world,” said Yale President Richard Levin. “With the selection of the...Read More
