Pawna Kumari

Work area : Kangra and Mandi districts, Himachal Pradesh

Pawna comes from a Kanet shepherd family in the remote village of Bada Bhangal in Himachal Pradesh, a region with limited access to infrastructure such as electricity, water supply, and transportation. After completing her school education, she began working with women’s self-help groups in Kangra to support the revival of traditional Himachali handloom practices. Alongside managing household responsibilities, she worked with women engaged in wool collection and dairy-related activities to strengthen livelihood opportunities and income generation.

Nomadic and pastoralist communities in the region have experienced increasing livelihood constraints due to changes in forest management and protected area regulations. These changes affected access to traditional grazing routes and cultivation practices, particularly in and around the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2008, Pawna became actively involved in collective efforts aimed at improving recognition of these livelihood needs and facilitating dialogue around sustainable access to resources.

She also played a key role in forming a state-level pastoralist collective, the Himachal Ghumantu Pashupalk Mahasabha, to support shepherd families across Himachal Pradesh. The collective works to improve seasonal grazing access across landscapes and strengthen livelihood systems for pastoral communities. Alongside this, efforts have been made to enhance income opportunities by organising wool collection, value addition, and market linkages, including access to wider and international markets.