A Word with Radhika Bharat Ram

Radhika, I'm interested in knowing more about what motivated your interest and involvement in uplifting adolescent girls. 

Our family has been involved in institution-building for over a century. They founded some of Delhi’s oldest educational and cultural institutions, like Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Shri Ram College of Commerce, and Bharatiya Kala Kendra. These institutions were envisioned to shape an independent India through education, culture, and values. Later, my mother-in-law carried this legacy forward by founding The Shri Ram Schools, now regarded among India’s finest. Building on this extraordinary foundation felt natural and something I knew I wanted to do.

I began my own journey at The Shri Ram Schools while working with the Blind Relief Association and Delhi Crafts Council. These experiences taught me that true change comes from within communities, grounded in dignity, trust, and self-reliance. At the Blind Relief Association, I learned to listen beyond words—an experience that permanently shaped me.

In 2018, I paused to ask myself: “How are we using our privilege to open doors for others?” I knew I wanted to work with women and girls. After two years of listening and learning at the grassroots, I saw a glaring gap—while many girls studied up to Grade 12, very few had the means, exposure, or confidence to pursue further opportunities.

That led to the founding of KARM for Young Indian Women in 2020, named after my family - Kartik, Ahaana, Radhika, and Maahir, and rooted in the spirit of karm: the belief that what matters most is focusing on your duty, not on the outcome. We began with 20 girls, each paired with a mentor, and built workshops around soft skills, digital literacy, career readiness, and self-belief.

At its heart, this work embodies feminist values: equality, agency, and dismantling systemic barriers. KARM creates spaces for education, employability, and personal growth by fostering autonomy, nurturing leadership, and challenging societal norms. It’s not only about meeting immediate needs, but also driving a paradigm shift where women are seen, heard, and valued as equal contributors in society.

Five cohorts later, we’ve supported nearly 200 girls. Many are working or pursuing higher studies, some earning more than their parents, and saving in their own bank accounts for the first time. Witnessing that shift from limitation to possibility has been profoundly moving.

You are at the leading edge of a global movement of women stepping up in their giving and influence. Talk to us about why women-led philanthropy is a trend to boost and learn from. 

Women-led philanthropy is not just about giving but about reimagining how and why we give. Around the world, we are witnessing women step into philanthropy with courage, empathy, and clarity of purpose. Their approach is deeply relational…rooted in listening, collaboration, and long-term change rather than transactional charity.

Women are bringing lived experience into their giving. They understand inequities intimately, whether through family, community, or work, and therefore focus on issues often overlooked, like education, health, gender equity, climate, and livelihoods. This grounding in lived realities makes women-led philanthropy not just generous but transformative.

The influence of women donors is also shifting the culture of philanthropy itself. We are seeing more emphasis on collective giving, on building ecosystems, and on amplifying voices that are rarely heard. Women philanthropists are not just funding projects; they are catalysing systemic change and ensuring that giving builds power in communities rather than dependency. They feel the need to be involved by doing, not just by signing a cheque. 

This is why women-led philanthropy is a trend to learn from. It is expanding the meaning of generosity, centring empathy alongside strategy, and shaping a future where giving is not about power over, but power with.

What about EMpower do you value and want to help us catalyse?  

I deeply value EMpower’s long-term commitment to supporting interventions. Real transformation takes time, and by standing with organisations for up to ten years, we allow them the space to make mistakes, learn, and strengthen their work in meaningful ways.

What resonates most with me is the focus on bringing communities together. True ownership of change must rest with the community itself, and by working alongside them, we can create lasting systemic shifts.

For me, nothing is more important than nurturing role models from the grassroots who can inspire others. I hope we continue to amplify girls' voices and learn from their lived experiences to keep striving to better our best.

That's a hope I share with you, Radhika. Thank you!