Ankita Kumari

Ankita Banra is a pioneering grassroots leader from Jharkhand’s HO Indigenous Community and the President at ASMITA - a youth-led and feminist organization. By mobilizing youth from coal-mining regions and survivors of child marriage, she bridges the gap between traditional indigenous wisdom and modern climate advocacy.

As an NYCC Climate Champion from Jharkhand, Ankita drives systemic change by empowering tribal youth and women to participate in local governance and sustainable livelihoods. She is a key architect of the Just Transition Movement in Jharkhand, spearheading workshops with 120+ youth and community members that promote Mahua-based economies as eco-friendly alternatives to coal dependence.  

She facilitated strategic partnerships, held consultative meetings, and laid the groundwork for launching the Jharkhand Just Transition Network -a collective of CSOs, government bodies, and NGOs committed to supporting mining-affected communities. She recently co-conducted the first-ever Just Transition Yatra, a 800-km march in Jharkhand.

Her efforts in youth mobilization for climate leadership, advocacy, and capacity-building at the grassroots level, particularly through Panchayat and village-level initiatives., have built a strong momentum of grassroots work in Jharkhand.