ARUNACHALAM MURUGANANTHAM: The Silent Revolution In A Piece Of Cloth


 In a small village near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Arunachalam Muruganantham’s life took a turn in 1998 when he discovered that his wife was using old, unhygienic cloth during her menstrual cycle because sanitary pads cost more than a family’s weekly food budget. The realization struck him deeply. This was not just a matter of affordability. It was about health, dignity, and breaking a silence that spanned generations.

Determined to make a difference, he began experimenting with cotton, machinery, and designs, often facing ridicule. His commitment came at a personal cost. He was ostracized by his community and temporarily abandoned by his wife and mother, who found his obsession incomprehensible. Despite having only completed schooling until class eight, Muruganantham taught himself to operate and adapt machines, creating a low-cost sanitary pad-making device.

By 2006, his machine was patented, and he began supplying them to rural women’s self-help groups across India. Each unit cost just INR 65,000 and could produce pads at one-third the price of commercial brands, enabling economic empowerment while improving menstrual hygiene. His model has since been adopted in more than 27 countries, from Kenya to the Philippines, impacting over five million women.

In 2014, he was listed among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. His journey was later portrayed in the Bollywood film Padman (2018), which brought global attention to menstrual hygiene issues. Today, Muruganantham continues to advocate for breaking taboos around menstruation, showing that innovation, empathy, and perseverance can change the world. -Samidha Kalra

References
 BBC News. (2014). “The man who makes sanitary pads for India’s women.” Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com
 The Better India. (2018). “Meet the real Padman.” Retrieved from https://www.thebetterindia.com
 Time. (2014). “Arunachalam Muruganantham: The 100 Most Influential People.” Retrieved from https://time.com https://images.ctfassets.net/ssn6gmzvvg61/6cSp3jvknfgIqmD5eJjzP0/ab0a6df01b24653691b08f3a292c6284/Arunachalam_Muruganthanam_with_the_various_brands_of_sanitary_napkins_created_using_his_low-cost_pad-making_machines_across_.jpg


Comments

  1. charu bhasin kalraSeptember 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM

    Befitting example of Every journey begins with a small step.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Priyanka SachdevaSeptember 6, 2025 at 11:14 AM

      Arunachalam Muruganantham’s relentless pursuit to make menstrual hygiene affordable and accessible has fundamentally changed the lives of millions of women, not just in India but worldwide. His courage to challenge taboos and navigate personal adversity for a cause that matters is truly inspiring.

      Delete
  2. SuhaniSeptember 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM

    This gave me so much hope!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. kashviSeptember 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM

    heartwarming to read about

    ReplyDelete
  4. RashmiSeptember 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM

    A remarkable story of courage and impact

    ReplyDelete
  5. EktaSeptember 8, 2025 at 2:11 AM

    Thank you for bringing forth such stories

    ReplyDelete

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