'Mumbai is my ticket to freedom'

Vegetable seller Mamta Gupta, who migrated to Mumbai from Varanasi after marriage, shares how she found freedom to live life on her terms in the metropolis.

Mansi Bhaktwani

According to the 2011 Census data, more than half of all women migrants in India cite marriage as a factor for leaving their home state. Their journeys, challenges, and experiences are different from those of men.

Research shows that migration to cities often gives women authority, and they are able to depart from traditional roles and norms. Women often build on their new assertiveness, skills, and expertise and venture into small businesses. Migration is a powerful force that shapes human settlement patterns and drives social and economic progress at city, state, and national levels.

Migration to Mumbai isn’t just about survival, said Mamta. It's also about empowerment.