“I want to build the machine that builds the machine” has been the philosophy which has guided Niyamat Kochhar’s work, from founding Menstra, a project aimed at addressing period poverty and menstrual waste, to serving as a member of the Youth Committee of the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70): she has been actively engaged in advocacy, engagement and social entrepreneurship.

Niyamat credits her upbringing and the experiences and opportunities at school for laying the groundwork for her foray into the social advocacy field. She sees her work in the field as a source of fulfillment and her experiences only strengthened her resolve to create an impact. “The more people I interacted with, the more I realised this is what I want to work on.”

Since starting out in Grade 8, she has accomplished a lot. Aside from her involvement in Menstra and CSW70, she has also served as a Global Teen Advisory Board member for Girl Up, a UN Foundation Initiative, organised HerCode, a coding camp for girls from marginalised communities, and connected with activists, young leaders and policymakers globally. She was recently featured in a New York Times article on women and leadership.

A pivotal part in her journey was her experience at a STEAM camp in Kochi, hosted by Girl Up and the UN Foundation, where she had the opportunity to meet women from different parts of the world. Meeting people of diverse backgrounds, and learning of their unique struggles and adversities – such as her roommates who had shared their experiences with civil war and daily unrest – was for Niyamat a testament not only to women’s grit and determination, but also the possibilities of what people could achieve if they had equitable access to the tools and resources only readily available to a chosen few.

Her experiences as a first-year in JMC has given her a similar exposure. Interactions with her professors and her fellow students have simultaneously helped expand her understanding of women’s experiences, and reinforced her commitment to her mission of equitability and gender justice.

With considerable accolades and experience under her belt, Niyamat has big plans for the future. She aims to scale Menstra further and provide support to 10,000+ menstruators including trans and intersex people to secure biodegradable menstrual products, and adopt efficient strategies for disposing menstrual waste, and engage volunteers worldwide.

Niyamat Kochhar possesses a sense of clarity and composure that can make one forget they’re talking to so young a person. Her varied roles as advocate, strategist, and leader in national and international spaces requires effort and rigour, but what carries her through the inevitable challenges and stresses is her passion and faith in the work she does. 

“Building the machine” for Niyamat, refers to the work all of us can do to create a better world; either by building the tools which will directly impact people’s lives, or by laying the foundations of love, empathy and support. This is what Niyamat Kochhar strives to build.

Profiled by: Mangalya Singh