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One single woman’s grassroots fight is finally giving thousands of women the recognition they were long denied
For decades, countless women in Mumbai’s cooperative housing societies have lived in homes they help build, sustain, and manage, yet their names often remain absent from official ownership documents. A recent initiative under Maharashtra’s women empowerment drive is beginning to change that reality, one share certificate at a time.
In a powerful example of grassroots women’s empowerment, the women members of Ashirwad Cooperative Housing Society in Mulund came together to felicitate Assistant Registrar Sandhya Bawankule for her pivotal role in ensuring women’s names were added to housing society share certificates under the Maharashtra government’s women empowerment initiative.
At a time when conversations around women’s rights often remain confined to policy documents, Sandhya Bawankule translated a government directive into meaningful action on the ground. As part of Maharashtra’s first 100-day programme, cooperative housing societies were instructed to include wives’ names on share certificates, a move aimed at strengthening women’s legal and financial recognition within households and housing structures.
The women residents chose to express their gratitude by presenting her with a shawl and an indoor plant, the felicitation symbolised appreciation not just for administrative efficiency, but for restoring a sense of inclusion, dignity, and recognition to women homeowners. Society Secretary Asha Kotak, committee member Santosh Jeshwar, advisor Ajit Jivanputra, and Nandini Jivanputra were among those present during the felicitation ceremony.
“We have seen many government circulars come and go, but this is one initiative that truly made a difference in our lives. Because of Sandhya Bawankule ma’am, women like us finally felt recognised and included in our own homes and societies. She handled the entire process with sincerity, care, and respect, and we genuinely wanted to thank her for standing up for women’s rights”_ says Women Members of Ashirwad Cooperative Housing Society, Mulund