SUBHASH MAHAJAN
DALHOUSIE: Seventeen-year-old Siya Chadha, who has ancestral links to Himachal Pradesh's popular hill station Dalhousie, is working to raise awareness about women's health and cancer screening among underprivileged communities. Chadha, Class 12 student at Jumeirah English Speaking School in Dubai, has so far helped organise breast and cervical cancer screening for around 200 women in a low-income settlement in south Delhi. a Her parents have a home in Bakrota Hills in Dalhousie, where she frequently visits. Her association with the hill town has made her social initiatives a source of pride among local residents, who have extended their support and best wishes to her.
Chadha began her social work by joining a school group that stitched reusable cloth sanitary pads and bags for girls from disadvantaged communities following the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey a and Syria. The initiative later reached Mozambique, and she eventually took leadership role in the group. She also approached corporate social responsibility (CSR) departments mobilise financial assistance and essential supplies.
The support helped fund the to annual education and healthcare needs of a girl in Zambia. In June 2025, Chadha visited NGOs, schools and tribal communities in the Philippines, where she interacted with students on menstrual hygiene. Drawing from these experiences, Chadha launched the **Women's Initiative for Sensitization and Health (WISH)** in September 2024. The initiative focuses on reducing hesitation and stigma surrounding breast and cervical cancer among women from disadvantaged communities. It also seeks to address bone and muscle-related health problems among women above 40 who are engaged in physically demanding work.