Halima Sheikh

Halima holds an MA in Public Administration from IGNOU and has dedicated the past 12 years working with various organizations on issues concerning children, youth, and women. Currently, she works with adolescent girls who have either dropped out of school or have never attended school at all—girls who are deprived of education belonging particularly to Bengali Muslim, Dalit, and other marginalized communities. Alongside educational activities, she also works with them on creating broadsheets and illustrated stories.

Through this  Fellowship, Halima will write stories about the Bengali Muslim community where she will explore hidden histories and themes of migration and belonging situated within the context of Delhi.

Ketan Rathod

Ketan Rathod is a media practitioner working at the intersection of caste, labour, and visual storytelling. He holds a Master’s degree in Media and Cultural Studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. His current research focuses on the intergenerational continuation of caste-based sanitation work through the system of preferential treatment in Mumbai.

During the Fellowship, Ketan aims to undertake action-based research that combines documentation with community engagement. He plans to work closely with sanitation workers to record oral histories of aspiration and negotiation, narratives that move beyond statistics to foreground human experiences, while also building awareness around education, skill-based opportunities, and policy rights.

Anjum Rashid

Anjum Rashid holds a postgraduate degree in Social Sciences from Uttarakhand Open University, and is the first female nature guide from the Van Gujjar community. She currently resides in Dhela village in Uttarakhand. Previously, she was serving as an assistant at an Anganwadi centre as a crucial bridge between the government and her community, where she developed a deep, grassroots-level understanding of the complex challenges surrounding maternal health, child nutrition, and primary education.

Through this Fellowship, she will focus on a holistic empowerment model for Van Gujjar women, prioritizing women's health and menstrual hygiene and female education through innovative means that bridge the gap between traditional community life and essential healthcare.