Narrative in Policy Making: Situating Hirkani’s Legend in Maharashtra’s Breastfeeding Initiative
On 8 October 2026, an ICSSR-supported workshop on “Narrative in Policy Making: Situating Hirkani’s Legend in Maharashtra’s Breastfeeding Initiative” was held at Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), Pune, exploring how cultural narratives can shape public policy and institutional change.
The workshop examined the relationship between Hirkani’s legendary courage and Maharashtra’s Hirkani Kaksh initiative, connecting cultural memory with maternal well-being, gender and public policy.
Policies Are Also Built from Stories
Dr. Bhavani Rao, Dean of the Amrita School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (SSBS), and UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, shared two overarching reflections in her special remarks.
Policies Are Also Built from Stories
Narratives shape whose struggles become visible, how problems are framed and which solutions become possible.
Hirkani’s courage should inspire institutions to remove barriers to care rather than normalise the sacrifices women make to access it.
Translating Narratives into Equitable Institutional Practices
Dr. Nimita Pandey, Assistant Professor at Amrita School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Faridabad, and Co-Principal Investigator, drawing on fieldwork across formal and informal workplaces, reflected on whose care needs are recognised or overlooked.
She also discussed how the Narrative Policy Framework can help translate cultural narratives and global recommendations into equitable, locally responsive and sustainable institutional practices.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Maternal Well-being
The discussions were enriched by Dr. Prashant Gangal, Dr. Yogesh Sale and Dr. Vanisree Trippayya Ramanathan, bringing perspectives from maternal healthcare, lactation support, health and family welfare, and gender studies.
Key Themes of the Workshop
Cultural narratives and public policy · Maternal well-being and breastfeeding support · Gender-responsive institutions · Lactation support · Narrative Policy Framework · Equitable and locally responsive practices.
Strengthening Research and Policy Dialogue
Special appreciation to Dr. Tanashree Redij (PI) and Dr. Smita Sail (Co-PI) from Amrita’s Bengaluru campus for organising this interdisciplinary dialogue, supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi.
The workshop highlighted the importance of connecting cultural memory, gender perspectives and lived experiences with policy development, encouraging institutions to create supportive environments for maternal care and well-being.
Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals
The workshop’s focus on maternal well-being, gender-responsive institutions and collaborative policy dialogue connects with the following Sustainable Development Goals.