Bimla Chandrasekar, Director of EKTA women’s Resource Centre, is a women's rights defender. She started Ekta, convinced that people can be facilitated to change and influence their own lives. During the time when women's rights were seen as anti-men, she created the knowledge thirst for women and give them a choice and a voice to elevate their role in development. She broke down several barriers and engaged more women in the debate on critical public and domestic issues like poverty and politics, economy and education, health and social disparities and discrimination.

Ekta organizes programmes on 3 thematic areas: Gender and Governance with the elected women representatives and women leaders; Gender and Human Rights creating awareness on VAW and Gender and Masculinities, with students in schools and colleges. It organizes study circles to bring together women from all walks of life and create a space for sharing and learning. It has been playing a very crucial role in the lobbying and advocacy for laws to protect women’s rights at the National and State level. EKTA also is actively engaged with the International and National processes on CEDAW reporting, Beijing, Women Empowerment Policy and SDGs. Ekta has a Shelter home for girls named NAMBIKKAI CENTRE in Killai near Pitchavaram in Cuddalore District. It caters to the care and protection of 35 vulnerbale girl children. It also organzies various events and awareness session for women and children. 5 children's club effectively work in that area taking the leadership role during emergency times as cuddalore is a disaster prone area. Ms. Bimla feels that if we collectively focus on a new role for women in the governance process, it will be easy to sensitize people about discrimination against women on the basis of gender, caste and religion.