PROFILE

Dr. Chaitali Das is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning Jute Revivalist, Social Reformer, and Social Entrepreneur, as well as a Guinness World Record holder. She stands as a powerful voice for the voiceless and a steadfast advocate for vulnerable and marginalized communities.

A committed philanthropist and mentor, she champions sustainability, equal opportunity, and inclusive growth. She has been an integral part of multiple
international delegations and has addressed prestigious national and global forums, advancing dialogues on human dignity, prisoner reformation, second chances, reintegration, and the conservation of jute as a sustainable resource.

Her pioneering initiative, Jute ‘Story Beyond Bars’ seamlessly integrates innovation with tradition reviving jute while transforming the lives of prison inmates through skill development and rehabilitation. The project later evolved to a start up called Route2jute Pvt Limited having released prisoner on board, incubated by Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Innovation Park, Government of India, it of has earned significant national and international recognition for its dual impact on sustainability and social reformation.

A former Beauty Pageant AFT Mrs. International, she advocates that life at middle age is a phase of renewed purpose, well-being with fitness at its core. Her debut documentary film, named ‘Jute Story Beyond Bars’, has received 4 national and 8 international awards and accolades.

During her courageous battle with cancer, she chronicled her journey and impact through her coffee table book, PAAT RANI – The Queen of Jute, a narrative of vision, determination, and legacy. The book captures her mission to preserve artisanal heritage, promote sustainable innovation, and enable the reformation and reintegration of prison inmates into a progressive societal framework.

Dr. Das also serves on the boards of several national and international organizations and chambers of commerce. As an entrepreneur and Director, she took charge of her late husband’s business, demonstrating resilience and leadership in continuing its growth and legacy.

Her impact is both deep and wide reaching transforming over 3,000 prison inmates through yoga and meditation for holistic well-being, skilling over 2,000 inmates in jutebased livelihood programs, and empowering more than 1,000 rural women through training in water hyacinth and jute lifestyle products. Her work has reached an audience of over 20 million through print, electronic, and social media, alongside speaking engagements at more than 100 forums.

Her mission is to elevate jute onto iconic global platforms as a sustainable choice for people and the planet, while bringing to light powerful stories of transformation where every jute product carries the legacy of artisans and the journey of reformation & dignity.

Positions:

Director Rakshak Subidha Pvt. Ltd.
Partner Rakshak Realty
Founder & Managing Trustee Rakshak Foundation
Founder & Chairperson Route2Jute Pvt. Ltd

Honorary Positions:

Member of the West Bengal State Government Advisory Committee for Aftercare Services of released prisoners
Advisory Legal Assistance Initiative (Prisoners’ Families) of DLSA under NALSA
Assistant Governor Women Empowerment & Child Development, 2019-20, Rotary International District 3291
Assistant Governor (Vocational Training) 2020-21, Rotary International, Dist. 3291
Co-Chairperson CSR & Rural Development Committee, MCCI
President, India Western Canada Bilateral Business Council, WICCI
Member National Committee, ICC Textile & Lifestyle
Board Member Indo-Canadian Business Chamber of Commerce
State President, West Bengal National Human Rights & Crime Control Bureau
Founder President Rotary Club of Calcutta Millennium
POSH External Committee member at Presidency Correctional Home- 2022-23
POSH External Committee member at Thapar Group 2019-2021
POSH External Committee member at Directorate General, Income Tax (INV) (NER) 2024

Global Representation & Participation

Global Ambassador of Sustainability, 2023, by the Honorary Consul General of Cambodia in India & Chairperson Cambodian Woman Entrepreneurs Association at the Women entrepreneur summit in Siem Reap.

Advocate of Sustainability “Green Ambassador” 2021, at Bharat Mahotsav, a congregation of Indian achievers in Dubai, UAE, by Sheikh Al Zarooni.

International Goodwill Ambassador for Women, 2019, FAAVM (Federal Association for the Advancement of Visible Minorities) Ontario, Canada

Speaker at the prestigious 5th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum, 2024 in Kunming. Speaking at such a distinguished platform before highlevel dignitaries from South Asian Countries.

Nominated and sponsored by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata, H.E. Zha Liyou to lead a first of its kind,
“All Women Changemakers “Delegation to Yunnan Province, China in the year 2019.

Nominated and sponsored by the Former Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China H.E. Ma Zhan Wu to lead a Prestigious
Delegation as the First ever Voluntary Organization to China in the year 2018.

Nominated & sponsored by the US Embassy in India for Fortune/US State Department Most Powerful Global Women Partnership Programme in 2017.

Invited & Sponsored by US State Department 2017 to the program in Kathmandu, South Asian US/ State Department Alumni Component leadership program.

Winner of Title and Crown, AFT Mrs. International Pageant 2019 (above 35 years categories) in Dubai.

Social Entrepreneur & Innovator presented jute lifestyle products on the ramp show alongside International Fashionistas and Entrepreneurs at the prestigious Central Asia Fashion, (CAF) Khazakstan under the aegis of Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industries part of the Indian delegation to Khazakstan, in 2020.

Represented Rakshak Group in the Delegation from India accompanying The President of India, His Excellency, Sri Ramnath Kovind, in Sofia, Bulgaria and Prague, Czech Republic 2018.

Delegate representing Eastern India at the Indian Business Delegation team to Canada 150 Business Mission- 2017.

Represented as Rotary Club as President in the prestigious “Presidents Luncheon” amidst 2000 Presidents across the Globe at Rotary International.

Led innovation in converting jute to vegan plant based wool products, launched by the Ambassador in Greece with Embassy Officials in Buyers Seller Meet in Athens organized by National Jute Board of India, 2020.

Participant in BIMSTEC in India 2018.

Participant at Convention- 2017, Georgia World Congress, Atlanta, United States.

Participant in SAARC Summit, Colombo, Sri Lanka 2017.

Speaker on Gender Equality & Peace- UN Istanbul Summit 2016” at Thailand.

Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2020, People’s Republic of China for first ever contribution from India for children’s Library in Jinping province

Title Holder of the AFT Mrs. International Pageant 2018

Chaitali Das was the Title Holder of the AFT Miss & Mrs International Pageant 2018, Dubai. She won the title competing against contestants from many countries around the world including European countries, Canada, United States of America, UAE, states of India and Singapore.

Chaitali has always broken stereotypes. It was not easy for a woman in her mid-40’s, a mother of a 22 years old son, to step into the world of glamour and set another benchmark by winning the crown and love and recognition from the world. Like a true Beauty Queen she always aspires to push the limits and reach her maximum potential. She strides the ramp and the role of a philanthropist with equal ease. The inmates consider her to be their mentor, friend, philosopher and guide.

She has leveraged this International pageant platform to convey the voice the voiceless to the world. She feels that her encounter with women of several nations and the time spent with them, has been an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, culture, compassion, appreciate the humane side of her co-contestants.

Vision & Mission

Chaitali’s mission is to alleviate poverty through skill and livelihood development with a special focus on women empowerment while conserving the environment and creating an inclusive World.

Through her Flagship project ‘Jute Story Beyond Bars’ she wishes to revive Jute as a fashionable alternative and promote the Jute of Bengal across the globe. Her bonding with the prison inmates has grown over the years because of the love, faith and trust they invest in her.

Apart from this, she works for the holistic development of underprivileged children, empowerment of women and youth from disadvantaged sections of the society. She believes in developing them into individuals who can contribute positively to the society.

Her vision is to work with the global and the local community across borders, learning from each other’s best practices and combating mutual challenges to work collectively and effectively to create a better world for us and our future generations.

She believes in One World, One Religion that is ‘Humanity’ and One Language that is ‘Love’.

Chaitali Das is the great grand-daughter of Justice Chandra Madhav Ghosh and daughter of Public Prosecutor and Professor of Law, Sri Nemai Nag Choudhury. She holds a Bachelor’s degree holder in Human Resource Management from Cambridge University. She also has over a decade of experience in corporate service and administration. She is the elder sibling of Baisakhi Nag Chowdhury who is a law professional.

Her philanthropic and socially responsible zeal found a match in her husband, Jaydip Das.

Jaydip Das is a self-made business man, who is also deeply involved in philanthropic work. He is the Founder Trustee of Rakshak Foundation, and CEO of Rakshak Subidha Pvt. Ltd.

Rakshak Foundation has been operational since last 30 years. It was formally registered in 2014, with Chaitali Das, took over as the Managing Trustee of the organization. Since then, she has been instrumental in conceptualizing and executing numerous innovative philanthropic projects as well as emerging as a prominent voice in advocating various social and environmental issues.

Chaitali, with her husband, Jaydip and son Rishavraj

Chaitali, with her son, Rishavraj and sister Baisakhi, on the occasion of her son’s convocation

Rishavraj Das is Jaydip and Chaitali Das’s only child. He is an alumni of the prestigious Doon School and a Graduate from the University of British Columbia with International Relations as major. Like his parents, Rishav shows keen interest in social entrepreneurship and humanitarian work.