Dared to Dream: Bindu Vinodhan
Brinda Gill interviews Bindu Vinodhan, Founder & Executive Director of Mauna Dhwani Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, launched handloom weaving training programs aimed at transforming the lives of women from tribal villages in Mayurbhanj, Odisha.
Brinda Gill: Please tell us about the Mauna Dhwani Foundation.
Bindu Vinodhan: "Mauna" means silence, and "Dhwani" means sound in Sanskrit. The name symbolises a transition from silence to speech. Mauna Dhwani Foundation is focused on reviving personal and community identities and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities. We work with women from the tribal and weaver communities in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, home to over 52 tribes. The women are trained in handloom weaving, natural dyeing, sewing, embroidery, leadership, digital literacy, and finance.
BG: How did you choose the area of work?
BV: In 2018, after 20 years in the corporate sector, I wanted to focus on gender equality, inclusion, and livelihood development in some of the country's most remote and underserved areas. Research led me to a village in Mayurbhanj district, once known for its vibrant weaving industry but where weaving had become a fading memory.
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Brinda Gill: Please tell us about the Mauna Dhwani Foundation.
Bindu Vinodhan: "Mauna" means silence, and "Dhwani" means sound in Sanskrit. The name symbolises a transition from silence to speech. Mauna Dhwani Foundation is focused on reviving personal and community identities and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities. We work with women from the tribal and weaver communities in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, home to over 52 tribes. The women are trained in handloom weaving, natural dyeing, sewing, embroidery, leadership, digital literacy, and finance.
BG: How did you choose the area of work?
BV: In 2018, after 20 years in the corporate sector, I wanted to focus on gender equality, inclusion, and livelihood development in some of the country's most remote and underserved areas. Research led me to a village in Mayurbhanj district, once known for its vibrant weaving industry but where weaving had become a fading memory.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*