Neha Upadhyaya

Neha Upadhyaya is a social entrepreneur based in New Delhi and is widely known as the “Eco Village Lady of India.” She graduated from King’s College London and began her career in the education sector in the UK, working closely with children living with juvenile diabetes, autism, ADHD, and other conditions. During this time, she observed their lifestyles, grew cautious about reliance on western medication, and undertook training in organic and macrobiotic practices at Daylesford Organic School, Wholefood Harmony, and Navdanya Bija Vidyapeeth—approaches that offered alternative pathways to healing.

After returning to India, Neha founded a trust dedicated to empowering women farmers through the vertical integration of organic farming and the use of solar technologies for post-harvest management and rural electrification across the hilly terrains of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir. Her work has earned significant recognition, including the British Council’s Future Leaders Connect award (2018) and the Social Impact India Award (2017). She has also received prototype grants and accolades such as the Entrepreneur Excellence Award from IIT Delhi (2017) and the Smart Fifty Solutions Award from IIM CIP (2018).

Neha was awarded a full scholarship from the Government of Sweden to study Sustainability and Responsible Leadership through the Swedish Institute Management Programme (2017). More recently, she received a fellowship from the Earthwatch Institute to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in mountain communities. Her work has been featured in leading publications including The Economic Times, Time Out New York, India Today, and CNBC Young Turks.

Her NGO received the prestigious Small Grants Programme from the GEF-UNDP and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2017. Driven by a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, Neha envisions an inclusive, equitable, and healthy society in which men and women support one another and have the opportunity to realise their full potential.