Gamit Ramilaben Raysingbhai

Ramilaben Raysingbhai Gamit is a social worker from Tapi district in south Gujarat who works on health, women’s and children’s welfare, farming and village livelihoods. She was named for the Padma Shri in 2022 in the field of social work, from Gujarat ^[1].

From Taparwada

Gamit was born on 1 June 1969 in Taparwada village, Tapi, and studied up to the tenth standard ^[2]. She wanted to do something useful for her community ^[2].

Groups, toilets and health

She helped build more than 700 toilets and ran awareness campaigns on sanitation ^[2]. She formed 162 women’s self-help groups, linked them to banks and helped members join government insurance and pension schemes ^[2]. She brought farmers to Krishi Vigyan Kendras to learn better farming methods ^[2].

She has organised 30 blood donation camps and health awareness meetings in the tribal belt, with a focus on nutrition for children and pregnant women ^[2]. She has worked for widows’ pensions and welfare, links women with the state’s women’s helpline, and encourages young people to take part in sport ^[2]. During the Covid-19 pandemic she organised women’s groups to spread awareness and distribute rations, masks and sanitiser ^[2].

She received the Swachh Shakti award in 2017 for her sanitation work ^[2].