How Trisha Shetty Built SheSays into India's Leading Gender Rights Movement

When a 25-year-old lawyer decides to challenge an entire government's tax policy on sanitary napkins, you know you're witnessing extraordinary social impact in action. Trisha Shetty's journey from Mumbai-based activist to global changemaker proves that one person's determination can reshape policies affecting millions.

Born on September 16, 1990, Trisha Shetty founded SheSays in 2015 as a youth-led non-profit working towards gender equality through civic engagement. But what started as an online platform quickly evolved into something much more powerful—a movement that would redefine social impact activism in India.

The breakthrough moment came with the #LahuKaLagaan campaign, which translates to "the tax on blood." SheSays successfully lobbied to have the Indian Government declare sanitary napkins tax-free, making this the largest global social media campaign of its kind. This wasn't just policy change—it was social impact that directly improved millions of women's lives.

Here's what makes Trisha's approach to social impact revolutionary: she understood that sustainable change requires youth activation. SheSays delivers gender sensitivity programs that engage young people as agents of transformation rather than passive beneficiaries. This model has proven so effective that it's being studied globally.

The recognition followed quickly. Trisha became the only Indian among 12 Obama Foundation Scholars worldwide, earning recognition from the United Nations, President Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, and President Emmanuel Macron. But perhaps most importantly, she now serves as President of the Steering Committee of the Paris Peace Forum, positioning her at the center of global policy discussions.

What's fascinating about Trisha's social impact model is its comprehensive approach. Fewer than 6% of sexual violence incidents against women in India are reported to police, so SheSays works to equip women with legal knowledge, emotional support, and systemic solutions simultaneously.

For young entrepreneurs and activists watching this trajectory, Trisha's story offers crucial lessons about scaling social impact. She didn't just build an organization—she built a movement that bridges grassroots activism with policy-level change.

The genius lies in understanding that real social impact isn't about choosing between local action and global influence—it's about building bridges between both. When you solve problems that matter to people's daily lives while engaging with power structures that can create systemic change, you create unstoppable momentum.

Sometimes the most powerful form of social impact comes from refusing to accept that "this is just how things are."