Breaking the cycle of stigma

Social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham's commitment to empowering India's women experiencing period poverty shifted the global conversation around women's health.

Period poverty affects millions of girls and women worldwide. But in countries like India, where menstruation is considered taboo, stigma and inaccessible period products and hygiene facilities prevent up to 60% of women from attending school and work during menstruation, which impacts their access to education and can lead to social isolation and serious health issues.

When Arunachalam Muruganantham married his wife in 1998 in India's state of Tamil Nadu, he was shocked to learn she couldn't afford sanitary pads and instead used dirty rags. The discovery jump-started his journey to creating affordable menstrual products for women living in rural India while combating the stigma surrounding periods and period care.

"Muruganantham is not someone who simply set out to build a product or chase profit. Instead, he had a vision that went far beyond his circumstances," says Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Chris Neck. An expert in leadership, self-leadership, group decision-making processes, and self-managing teams, Neck cites Muruganantham's dedication to his mission and courage to carry on in the face of social stigma as traits that make him a unique leader.

Born into poverty, Muruganantham dropped out of school at 14 to help support his family following his father's death. While his lack of education and his culture's attitude toward his work were barriers to reaching his goal, Muruganantham's dedication to his mission never wavered. In 2009, he patented the mini sanitary napkin machine, which produces affordable pads and creates employment opportunities for the women manufacturing them.

Neck says Muruganantham's commitment to benefiting a group with whom he does not identify — and at a considerable risk to his reputation — is compelling.

"As a man, he didn't suffer directly from the stigma around menstruation, but when he discovered that his wife and millions of women like her were using rags and suffering in silence, Muruganantham didn't look away," says Neck. "He chose to care, act, and persist. That's what makes his leadership extraordinary."

Leading through rejection

Only after discovering that his wife couldn't afford sanitary pads did Muruganantham learn about the extent of period poverty in his community: Only 12% of women in rural India can afford manufactured pads, and instead use unsanitized cloth or items like sawdust, leaves, or ash. Access to sanitized menstrual products can prevent around 70% of reproductive diseases that women in India experience.

Muruganantham began studying the structure and materials of mass-produced pads to create makeshift pads himself, testing them with goat's blood when local women were unwilling to use them. As he made progress with his invention, Muruganantham also became more aware of the larger social forces at play. When he refused to abandon his mission, his family and community ostracized him. But Muruganantham's resolve didn't waver.

"Rather than deterring him, the rejection solidified Murguanatham's sense of purpose, and the pain of isolation helped him empathize more deeply with the women he was trying to help, many of whom also experienced exclusion and shame around menstruation," says Neck.

After two years of research and experimentation, Muruganantham created a cost-effective mini sanitary napkin machine — it costs less than $1,000 to produce — that assembles, sterilizes, and packages pads. During this time, he also learned English, which provided further access to research and allowed him to communicate his mission globally.

Muruganantham refused offers to commercialize his pad machine and instead founded Jayaashree Industries to provide the machines to rural communities, which simultaneously creates income and autonomy for the women operating them.

"His decision to reject lucrative buyouts tells us everything we need to know about his values. Muruganantham was never in it to get rich: His goal was always to empower women," says Neck. "He understood that true empowerment doesn’t come from charity, but from ownership and opportunity."

Shifting public opinion

Muruganantham has exhibited several leadership styles throughout his life and career. He modeled transformational leadership by setting out to challenge social norms and inspire change on a broad scale, instead of simply creating a product to make a profit, while completely reimaging the sanitary pad's distribution model. He is a servant leader because his mission is rooted in helping others.

As an authentic leader, Muruganantham stayed true to his values in the face of ridicule, loss, and social isolation, and his unwavering commitment to his mission proved to be his greatest strength.

"He is deeply courageous and willing to be mocked and misunderstood if that's what it takes to achieve real change," says Neck.

Muruganantham was included in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2014, and was awarded the Padma Shri — one of the highest honors given to civilians by the government of India — in 2016. This recognition was instrumental in shifting the public's perception of his work and mission.

"It sent a clear message: This issue matters, and the man addressing it deserves respect," says Neck. "These recognitions gave him legitimacy in the eyes of the public, policymakers, and the media."

The honors validated Muruganantham's efforts while elevating menstrual health from a private concern to a public health and economic issue worth addressing, which created cultural permission to discuss menstrual health without shame or embarrassment.

"For many years, menstruation was a topic steeped in silence and shame across much of India," says Neck. "Suddenly, people brought long-buried conversations into the open."

Led by purpose

Despite having no formal education, funding, or external validation of his invention, Muruganantham taught himself the skills to succeed while managing countless setbacks. His career is a case study in self-leadership.

"That internal compass, that ability to lead himself before leading others, is what allowed him to persevere through ridicule, loneliness, and cultural resistance," says Neck. "His self-leadership didn’t just sustain him; it inspired a movement."

If Muruganantham were beginning his career now, his leadership styles would be even more celebrated, since today's culture values authenticity, purpose, and impact-driven innovation. Social media would also help him connect sooner with allies and share his message on a broader scale.

"Consumers, especially younger ones, are drawn to stories of people who build businesses to solve real problems, not just chase revenue," says Neck. "If anything, the world is more ready now for the kind of leadership he offers."

Muruganantham's unwavering advocacy for India's women reminds us that one person's courage and perseverance can challenge centuries of stigma while transforming millions of lives.