Anshu Gupta
Popularly known as the Clothing Man, Anshu Gupta founded Goonj to offer a sustainable economic model to eliminate poverty and related issues. Under his leadership Goonj created a barter between urban surplus and village communities’ labour, triggering large-scale rural development work. Forbes Magazine listed him as one of India’s most powerful rural entrepreneurs. He has also won many national and international honours including the Ashoka and Schwab Fellowships. He was awarded the Magsaysay Award for his work on transforming the culture of giving in India and for highlighting material as a sustainable development resource for the poor.
Articles by Anshu Gupta
February 16, 2022
Why a village community in Madhya Pradesh wanted to build a well
Despite the presence of a handpump in a water catchment area nearby, residents of Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh knew that a well was their urgent need.
February 3, 2022
Why three villages in Kashmir value wrestling over roads
A wrestling stadium over a motorable road for hard-to-reach villages doesn't seem like an obvious choice. But that's what villagers in J&K's Udhampur district wanted.
June 3, 2021
Why COVID-19 relief should include the needs of ‘missed-out’ communities
With more people being pushed into poverty, there is now a hierarchy of marginalisation. Those who were already vulnerable to COVID-19—people with leprosy, HIV, disabilities, transgender people, and sex workers—have become almost invisible now.
February 21, 2020
Menstrual health: Awareness is not enough
When we take it upon ourselves to tackle menstrual hygiene issues, we need to ensure that our ‘solutions’ don’t come at the cost of women's self-respect.
August 22, 2019
Prioritise talent over targets
Scaling your organisation while staying true to your values, and keeping your team at the heart of what you do.
May 17, 2018
Ordinary people, extraordinary power
It’s time to take a different approach to development; people and communities need to be involved in the process of identifying their problems and addressing them using their wisdom.
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