WOMEN AT THE HELM OF GREEN RESISTANCE: GANDHIAN ECOFEMINIST PERSPECTIVES ON ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Women's courage and moral clarity in the defense of their lands, forests, and water against exploitation have long driven environmental movements. From the tree-hugging defiance of the Chipko movement to contemporary campaigns for climate justice, these struggles carry forward principles of nonviolence, self-reliance, and trusteeship reminiscent of Mahatma Gandhi's vision. But they also reflect ecofeminist insights into the connection between caring for nature and caring for communities and expose how environmental harm often deepens gender inequality. This article explores, through case studies from different regions, their strategies, ethical foundations, and social impacts, and brings out how such movements do not only resist ecological destruction but can also help reimagine development in ways that are just, sustainable, and rooted in local agency. The study underlines the continuing relevance of women's leadership for bringing in a better balance between human beings and nature.