Meet Lahari Bai. A tribal farmer from Chhattisgarh who set out to protect seeds and crops that were slowly disappearing from India’s farms and food systems. By travelling from village to village, collecting forgotten indigenous millet varieties, and building a community seed bank, Lahari Bai helped revive traditional crops that are resilient, nutritious, and deeply connected to local knowledge. Today, she has preserved over 150 indigenous millet varieties and earned national recognition, including the Padma Shri.

Her story is a powerful reminder that preserving traditional wisdom is also a form of leadership and that the work done quietly by rural women often sustains entire communities and futures.