MSSRF has released its comprehensive mixed-methods report, The Impact of Heat on the Health of Women in India—A Cross-sectional Study, confirming that extreme heat is an urgent public health crisis disproportionately affecting women. The study reveals that heat amplifies structural inequities for women, particularly those from low-income and marginalized communities, whose experiences are often invisible in climate and health policies. 

Findings from surveys across heat-prone districts in seven states show that 70% of women reported physical health symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness during peak summer months, alongside significant reproductive, menstrual, and mental health distress (with 66% reporting a mental health issue). The data also quantifies the social strain, linking heat vulnerability to increased household tensions, as 72% of women in high-vulnerability districts reported an increase in violence during the summer months.  

The study was supported by the Gates Foundation, Karmanya, the CII Centre for Women Leadership, the Women’s Collective Forum, and the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality. 

Read the full report here

Read the coverage of the report in The Hindu, The Times of India, Your Story, Indian Express, South First

MSSRF has announced the fifth edition of the Mina Swaminathan Media Fellowship, inviting journalists to explore critical issues at the intersection of gender, sustainability, and development. Named after Mina Swaminathan - renowned educator, writer, and advocate for early childhood education, the fellowship highlights the transformative power of media in shaping narratives that bring grassroots realities into national discourse. 

Aligned with the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), this edition invites journalists to tell stories of women who sustain our agri-food systems and the challenges they face. This year, the fellowship has expanded to include Marathi and Hindi journalists, in addition to Tamil, Odia, and Malayalam. 

Applications for 2026 are now open. Learn more details here.

MSSRF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra to strengthen sustainable agriculture, nutrition security, and gender justice across the state. This landmark collaboration, called the M.S. Swaminathan Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, Millets, and Allied Livelihoods for Rural Transformation and Health (SAMARTH), aims to integrate climate-smart farming practices with inclusive policies that prioritise women farmers. The partnership will focus on promoting millets and climate-resilient crops, empowering women through transformative initiatives, including the proposed Women Farmers’ Entitlements Bill, and establishing ‘Biohappiness Centres’ in agricultural universities to foster innovation and well-being in farming communities. 

MSSRF and the Madras School of Economics (MSE) have signed a MoU to strengthen research at the intersection of climate science, nutrition, and economics. This collaboration aims to deliver evidence-based policy solutions while enhancing student engagement. By integrating economic perspectives with nutrition and biodiversity research, the partnership seeks to support India’s food systems transformation. The MoU was signed by Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF, Dr. C Rangarajan, Chairman, MSE, Dr. Rengalakshmi Raj, Executive Director, MSSRF, Dr. Bhanumurthy N R, Director, MSE, and Dr R Gopinath, Principal Scientist, MSSRF, in the presence of faculty and students in November.  

Established in the presence of Mrs. Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of JSW Foundation, and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF, this collaboration seeks to bridge this gap by enhancing incomes, strengthening agency, and driving reforms that recognise women farmers as equal contributors to our food systems. The JSW Chair for Women in Agriculture at MSSRF will develop models to improve women farmers’ income and strengthen their role in farm and household-level decision-making, while also informing policy and legislative reforms to secure their entitlements.