Abortion in India: A Timeline
A look back at how and why the abortion law came into existence, what it entails and where it stands today
About PRATIGYA
Our mission: Pratigya is a network of individuals and organisations working towards protecting and advancing women’s rights and their access to safe abortion care in India, working with governments, organisations and media at the national and state levels.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act was passed in 1971. It was first amended in 2003 and the second time in 2021 to enable women’s accessibility to safe and legal abortion services. However, women in India continue to face several social, cultural, institutional and operational challenges in accessing safe abortion care.
This is also due to the ambiguous implementation of the MTP Act and Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, that banned prenatal sex determination. A favourable decline in child sex ratio in Census 2011 further led to an over-zealous enforcement of the PCPNDT Act.
Secretariat & Campaign Advisory Group
Our team that steers the organisation
FRHS INDIA
Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India is a leading Indian Non Governmental Organisation working since 2009 to enable women and girls to exercise their reproductive rights and choice. In 2015, we emerged as India’s No. 1 provider of clinical family planning services in the NGO and the private sector. FRHS India is an affiliate of MSI Reproductive Choices, a global organisation that provides contraception and safe abortion services through multiple channels – own clinics, clinical outreach teams and providing public sector support to Government family planning services.
Anjali Nayyar
Anjali Nayyar brings 20 years of experience in developing integrated advocacy and communication strategies impacting health policy and practice. She oversees the organisation’s programmes in emerging markets across Asia and Africa working through four offices as independent consultant.
VS Chandrashekar
VS Chandrashekar has spent over three decades steeped in the reproductive health field in India, bringing with him an array of expertise in family planning, maternal health, safe abortion and HIV/AIDS.
Vinoj Manning
Vinoj leads a multi-disciplinary team of more than 200 in 12 offices around the country. He oversees IDF’s efforts to improve the environment for safe abortion and increase access to comprehensive contraceptive care in the country.
Dr. Jaydeep Tank
Dr. Jaydeep Tank is a pro-choice OB/GYN, who believes in the "altruistic gene" of health care providers.
Anubha Rastogi
With a diverse combination of litigation capabilities and proficiency, Anubha Rastogi brings in a vast experience of 15 years in providing survivors of human rights violations access to justice with a specialised focus on gender rights (especially women’s rights and their access to safe abortion).
Prabhleen Tuteja
Prabhleen is a feminist activist with extensive experience in working on gender based violence across different contexts. Her work has focused on addressing gender based discrimination, women's economic participation and empowerment and much more.
Dr. Kalpana Apte
Dr. Kalpana Apte has been working for the last 25 years as a development professional in Public Health, particularly Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights and Family Planning in India. She is a passionate advocate of family planning in a rights-based perspective.
Vithika Yadav
With close to two decades of experience in anti-slavery, sexual and gender rights, Vithika Yadav is the co-founder of Love Matters India. She has worked extensively to create an inclusive and accessible space for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights to young people in India. She is also the Chair of 'The Global Advisory Board on Sexual Health and Well-being’.
Dr. Atul Ganatra
Dr. Ganatra specialises in Gynaecological Laparoscopic Surgery, IVF and high - risk pregnancies, with more than 2 decades of experience. He continues to be a leading voice in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, and currently serves as a Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai.
Debanjana Choudhuri
Debanjana is a gender rights activist working in the Asia, Pacific, and Africa regions. She has over 22 years of experience in SRHRJ. She has built several rights-based movements in the past and has worked extensively in safer abortion advocacy across the Asia region. Prior to her role in FRHS India, she has campaigned for gender rights and climate action. Debanjana has a Master's in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and another in digital marketing from the Marketing Institute of Singapore.
Ashutosh Kaushik
With more than two decades of experience, Ashutosh Kaushik is an expert on Finance, Human Resource, NGOs’ Compliances and Business & Strategic Planning. His leadership and strategic planning has helped FRHS India carve its own growth trajectory during various phases of operations and growth.
Our Single-minded Purpose
Learn all about how our team is helping make a difference and raising awareness for women’s rights in all the corners of India
Partners
Our partners are working along with us to guarantee women’s right to safe abortion
