Bharati Chaturvedi

Bharati Chaturvedi is an Indian environmentalist, writer, and social entrepreneur, best known for her pioneering work in the fields of environmental justice, urban sustainability, and the rights of informal sector workers. She is the founder and director of the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, a non-profit organisation that addresses issues related to waste management, sustainable consumption, and livelihood rights of marginalised urban communities in India. Her work reflects a deep commitment to equitable environmental governance and inclusive urban development.

Early Life and Education

Bharati Chaturvedi was born and raised in Delhi, India, where her interest in environmental and social issues developed from an early age. She pursued a Master’s degree in History from the University of Delhi, where she explored the relationship between social structures and environmental change. To further enhance her understanding of international environmental policy, she later obtained a Master’s in International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Her academic background provided a strong foundation for her later work at the intersection of ecology, economy, and social justice.

Founding of Chintan

In 2002, Chaturvedi founded the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, a Delhi-based organisation aimed at creating sustainable and inclusive urban systems. The idea stemmed from her observation that India’s cities faced twin crises of growing waste and deep social inequality. Chintan was established to bridge these gaps by recognising the environmental contributions of informal waste workers and integrating their work into formal urban systems.
Chintan works towards:

• Empowering waste-pickers and recyclers by advocating for fair livelihoods and safer working conditions.
• Promoting sustainable consumption and waste reduction practices among urban residents.
• Conducting environmental education and research to influence urban policy.
• Encouraging the adoption of circular economy models that link environmental sustainability with poverty reduction.

Under her leadership, the organisation has grown into one of India’s most respected social-environmental enterprises, engaging with local governments, schools, corporations, and communities.

Core Areas of Work

Bharati Chaturvedi’s work lies at the intersection of urban poverty, gender, environment, and governance. Her initiatives focus on making cities more sustainable while ensuring that the poorest and most marginalised populations—especially women waste-pickers—are active participants in environmental progress.
Key areas of her advocacy include:

• Environmental Justice: Ensuring that environmental benefits and burdens are distributed fairly among different social groups.
• Sustainable Urban Consumption: Promoting reduced waste generation and responsible resource use in urban households and industries.
• Recognition of Informal Labour: Highlighting the economic and environmental value of waste-pickers, who recycle a significant portion of urban waste.
• Gender Inclusion: Addressing the particular challenges faced by women in the waste economy and empowering them through education and collective organisation.

Chaturvedi has also been a prolific writer and columnist, contributing articles and essays to major Indian newspapers and magazines. Her writings cover a wide range of topics including climate change, urban governance, and the politics of consumption, written from the perspective of justice and sustainability.

Achievements and Awards

Bharati Chaturvedi’s work has earned both national and international recognition for its innovative approach to sustainability and equity. Under her guidance, Chintan has received several awards, such as:

• U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for Empowerment of Women and Girls (2012) for supporting women in informal sectors.
• UN BMW Intercultural Innovation Award (2013) recognising inclusive sustainability projects.
• Human Rights Award (2014) for promoting the dignity and rights of informal workers.
• UN Climate Solutions Award (COP21, Paris, 2015) for integrating social justice with climate action.

These honours underline the organisation’s role as a global model for linking environmental reform with social empowerment.

Influence and Advocacy

Beyond her institutional work, Chaturvedi has been an active voice in public discourse on environmental governance in India. She has participated in policy discussions on solid waste management, climate resilience, and inclusive cities, advocating for policies that recognise and formalise the role of informal recyclers. Her efforts have influenced several urban municipal bodies to adopt more inclusive waste management frameworks.
She is also known for her contributions to international forums, where she speaks on issues such as climate justice, sustainable consumption, and grassroots environmental leadership. Through these engagements, she emphasises that sustainability must include social equity to be truly effective.

Vision and Legacy

Bharati Chaturvedi’s vision extends beyond conventional environmentalism. She argues that true environmental sustainability cannot exist without addressing inequality and invisible labour. Her approach reframes waste not as a problem, but as a resource managed by some of the most marginalised workers in society. By giving these workers visibility and dignity, she has brought attention to the social dimensions of sustainability, often ignored in urban policy discussions.
Her work also challenges the traditional top-down approach to environmental management, demonstrating that solutions rooted in community knowledge and participation are often the most resilient and effective.

Continuing Relevance

In contemporary India, where urbanisation and consumption are rapidly intensifying, Chaturvedi’s message remains deeply relevant. The issues of waste segregation, recycling, and sustainable consumption are now central to the country’s environmental agenda. Her leadership has inspired a new generation of environmental professionals, activists, and students to approach sustainability through the lens of justice, empathy, and inclusion.