Almost four decades ago Poonam Muttreja was a co-founder of Dastkar, the iconic nonprofit that helps craftspeople come into their own with small enterprises. She now returns to the organization as chairperson to further strengthen its efforts to promote handicrafts in India and help artisans access the finance, marketing prowess and technology they need. Muttreja has proven organization-building and collaborative skills, often tapping into opportunities already available with government.
In addition to Dastkar, she will for the time being continue to also lead the Population Foundation of India (PFI) which has taken many strides under her.