Documentary on girls’ education campaign in rural India wins UN SDG award

Mothers of Courage, a documentary chronicling a women-led grassroots movement for girls’ education across rural India, has won the 2026 UN SDG Action Award in the Creativity category, bringing global recognition to a community-driven initiative that has mobilised more than 1.19 million citizens of rural India.

The award was presented at the Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony, held in Rome on 29 October, 2026. Mothers of Courage was selected from more than 7,000 applications representing 190 countries and territories.

Part of Shikshagraha, a national movement to strengthen public education championed by Infosys Co-founder and former CEO S. D. Shibulal, the documentary tells the stories of women challenging deeply entrenched social norms that often prevent girls from continuing their education. While some mothers are advocating for their daughters to remain in school, others are defying convention to support their daughters-in-law in returning to education.

S. D. Shibulal, Co-founder and former CEO, Infosys, and Founder, ShikshaLokam, said, “This recognition goes beyond an award for a film or a campaign. It is a celebration of community-led transformation in education. Shikshagraha is founded on the belief that lasting change begins when those closest to the child are empowered to act. Transforming public education requires the collective and coordinated efforts of governments, civil society, communities and philanthropy, working in genuine partnership. No single stakeholder can achieve this alone.”

Mothers of Courage was India’s only entry shortlisted in the Sustainable Development Goals Lions category at Cannes Lions 2026 and won Best Inspirational Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards 2026. It also received a Silver at the ABBY Awards 2026, the Platinum SABRE Award for Best in Show and Gold SABRE Award for Public Education at the SABRE South Asia Awards 2026, and a Gold SABRE Award for Public Education at the SABRE Asia-Pacific Awards 2026. The documentary was also named a finalist at the 7th Mumbai International Film Festival 2026.

At the heart of the movement in rural Bihar are Shiksha Chaupals, community gatherings where mothers and other residents come together to discuss barriers to girls’ education, including child marriage, and identify ways to address them. Since October 2024, more than 51,078 Shiksha Chaupals have been held in rural India, bringing communities together to make collective commitments to keeping girls in school and preventing early marriage.

Directed by Vandana R. Jaikumar and produced by Butterfly Effect Media, Mothers of Courage captures these conversations and the extraordinary resolve of women who are challenging convention and helping reshape the future of education in their communities.