PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The governor, lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh released the book ‘Mountains of Labour, Currents of Change: Women’s Livelihoods and Economic Transitions in the Indian Himalayan Region and Uttarakhand’ at an academic and policy event held here on Saturday. The book, authored by vice-chancellor of Doon University Surekha Dangwal, along with Rajendra P Mamgain and Shruti Dhaundiyal is consists of comprehensive research studies conducted on women’s livelihoods in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
This book investigates the complex realities of women’s economic participation in mountain economies through a year-long, 900-household field survey across six districts of Uttarakhand conducted during 2024-2025. It combines quantitative data with qualitative insights gathered from interviews, focus group discussions and participant observations. The research presents a critical argument that the increasing feminisation of agriculture in the Himalayas is less a marker of empowerment and more an indication of structural distress, where male out migration and policy neglect shift risks to women without adequate institutional support.
Singh commended the authors and the Doon University research team for producing a rigorous, field-based study that not only enhances academic understanding of mountain livelihoods but also carries significant policy relevance. He emphasised that this research reflects the core spirit of the “One University One Research” initiative launched under his guidance, which aims to promote impactful, locally grounded scholarship in Uttarakhand.
The governor praised the book’s contribution to reframing women’s livelihoods as a central economic issue rather than a marginal welfare concern. He highlighted that the economic empowerment of women is essential for achieving Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, as development with dignity must prioritize women. Singh expressed hope that the book, which connects the dignity of women’s work with the future of the mountains, would inspire further inquiry and informed policymaking for the Indian Himalayan Region.
Further, Dangwal said that the research addresses a long-standing gap in livelihood studies across the Himalayan belt. “While the IHR significantly contributes to the nation’s water, food and climate security, it continues to be peripheral in our national economic thinking,” she said.
Mamgain emphasised that the study’s design aims to overcome these statistical blind spots. He said that the book is structured across fourteen chapters, taking the reader from conceptual foundations to detailed empirical analyses and finally to new policy frameworks tailored for Himalayan contexts.
