Desh Ratan Arpita Menaria - A social activist, Arpita decided to dedicate her life to promoting social justice

A social activist, Arpita decided to dedicate her life to promoting social justice and aiding those who are less privileged. She aspires to work in the area of rural children's education and the empowerment of women.

Arpita Menaria is a Social Worker and former secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Udaipur.

Arpita belongs to Udaipur. She believes that growing up in a Brahmin family made her naturally spiritual and that she gets satisfaction from doing good deeds. She was involved in NCC and NSS activities, which increased her empathy for giving back to society. She had also given her services for the welfare of students, being a part of the ABVP during her college days, and had been the secretary of ABVP, Udaipur unit. She used to advocate for the rights of the students and addressed any injustice done to them by bringing their concerns to the authorities.

Sharing about her work, Arpita shares that, along with taking care of the interests of the students, she also does social work. She talks about different initiates of the ABVP, such as SFS (Students for Seva), SFD (Students for Development), and Rashtriya Kala Manch.

Arpita feels that even today, women cannot come out of their homes and work for social development due to the patriarchal nature of society. She aspires to work for women's empowerment, especially for underprivileged women, and to support them in initiating small-scale industries.

Arpita feels that social work should never intersect with politics and that you should first strive to be an exemplary individual before being involved in any type of social work. One must have a dedication to work for the people.

Talking about the deteriorating state of women in the country, Arpita says that no girl is protected before birth or after birth, and many women are being harassed, socially pressured, or crimes are being committed against them. Along with all other schemes, women should be given self-defense training so that they can become capable of protecting themselves.

Talking about her struggles, Arpita says everyone has to struggle in their life. She too had her own struggles and has been criticized by a few people for her work, but she has been determined to continue her good work, leaving behind all the negativity that can hinder her path.

When asked about her role models, Arpita says that Swami Vivekananda, who dedicated his entire life to social work, has been her inspiration, and she tries to follow his teachings in her life.

Arpita believes that a person becomes great by their deeds, not by their birth, and urges everyone to always keep doing good to others and not to hurt anyone.

To all the youth of the country, Arpita encourages them to empower themselves and urges them to connect with our culture and traditions. She advises them to respect all religions, but to not forget to follow your own dharma.

Arpita Menaria is honoured by National Icon Award 2023 and now she will awarded by Desh Ratan Award 2024 on 5 February 2024.