Arti Rana

Arti Rana (born ) is an Indian social entrepreneur. She helps fellow Tharu women to set up groups to make and sell handicrafts. In 2022, she received the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the highest civilian award for women in India.

Career Arti Rana was born around 1976. She is Tharu and lives in the Terai, near the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and the border with Nepal. Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, she set up Gautam self-employment to make items such as carpets, baskets and bags.

By 2016, Rana had trained around 800 Tharu women. The business expanded, and by 2022 she was employing hundreds of women to make handicrafts. In 2019, it was announced that a visitors centre would be built at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve to inform tourists about Tharu heritage and sell local products; Rana was one of the co-ordinators for the project.

Awards and recognition Rana's entrepreneurship was recognized with a Rani Laxmibai Bravery award in 2016 and a Gram Swaraj award.