Women as Custodians of Sustainability: Insights from the Indian Knowledge System for a Vikshit Bharat

The Indian Knowledge System (IKS), emerging from Vedic philosophy, Dharmic ethics, and indigenous cultural practices, offers a deeply integrated understanding of sustainability grounded in harmony between human life and nature. Within this civilizational framework, women have historically functioned as custodians of ecological wisdom, social resilience, and ethical living. This paper explores the role of women in sustainable development through the philosophical construct of Prakriti, representing nature as a dynamic feminine creative force balanced by Purusha, the principle of consciousness. Such an understanding reflects an ancient ecological worldview that aligns closely with contemporary sustainability discourse.
Adopting an interdisciplinary approach combining education, psychology, and cultural studies, the research examines how traditional ecological knowledge transmitted through women’s practices—agriculture, food systems, water conservation, seed preservation, caregiving, and community leadership—provides actionable pathways toward sustainable nation building. The study further analyses psychological dimensions of environmental consciousness shaped through intergenerational learning and culturally embedded identities.
The paper argues that the realization of Viksit Bharat requires moving beyond purely Western developmental models and reclaiming indigenous wisdom systems where women act as knowledge keepers, educators, and sustainability leaders. Drawing upon qualitative analysis of Indian philosophical traditions and grassroots examples of women-led ecological practices, the study demonstrates that empowering women through education grounded in Indian Knowledge Systems generates a multiplier effect enhancing community resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. The paper concludes by proposing educational and policy interventions that integrate women’s traditional knowledge into contemporary sustainability frameworks.