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Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi Caste, Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

BirthplaceJambur village, Talala tehsil, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat

ProfessionSocial Activist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

FamilyTwo sons and one daughter

Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi Caste, Biography

Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi is an Indian social activist from the Siddi community in Gujarat who has spent decades improving livelihoods, education and health for

Early life and background

Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi was born in Jambur village in Talala tehsil of what is now Gir Somnath district in Gujarat. She belongs to the Siddi community, an ethnic group of African descent, and was raised in a household that faced financial hardship. Her parents died when she was 14 and she was brought up by her grandmother. Because of the family’s circumstances she was unable to attend formal schooling, but developed a strong determination to learn and to improve conditions for people in her community.

Career

Hirabai developed practical skills and an entrepreneurial approach while working alongside her husband on a small plot of land. Faced with debt and limited options, she explored alternatives to the traditional forest woodcutting occupations of many Siddis. Listening to radio programs introduced her to organic composting techniques, which she adopted and refined.

Her first year producing organic compost yielded 160 bags; in the next year she organized a small team and scaled production to 500 bags, earning modest profits. Over time she expanded that effort into multiple teams that involved dozens of women. She helped create farms that grew fruits for commercial sale and trained women to make organic compost, prioritizing hands-on instruction and retaining those eager to learn.

Hirabai’s work grew beyond agriculture. She became a member of the Aga Khan Foundation and later joined the Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF) to better understand NGO practices and development work. In 2004 she founded the Mahila Vikas Foundation, an organization focused on financial literacy and access to government schemes for women in her community. Through that work she helped many women open bank accounts, save money, and complete the paperwork needed to engage with formal financial institutions.

Education and community development

A central element of Hirabai’s activism has been expanding educational opportunities. Coming from an environment where many women in her family were illiterate, she pushed to improve school attendance and conditions locally. When a primary school in Jambur struggled with low enrollment and disrepair, she organized community meetings that led to increased child attendance. She has been involved in setting up schools in the area and has consistently encouraged women to pursue learning.

Health and environment

Hirabai promoted health, hygiene and family planning practices among Siddi women as part of her broader effort to raise living standards. She has also worked to reduce the community’s dependence on forest woodcutting for income, describing that shift as a way to protect the Gir forest from further cutting while creating alternative livelihoods for women.

Recognition and awards

Her grassroots work has been recognized repeatedly. She received the Women’s World Summit Foundation’s Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Living in 2002 and used the prize money to develop her village. She was honored with the Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar for Outstanding Woman Rural Entrepreneur in 2006 and received Samman Patra awards from Gujarat Agriculture University in Junagadh in 2001, 2007 and 2012. In 2010 she was a CNN IBN Real Heroes award winner.

In 2023 Hirabai was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s civilian honours. During the felicitation she expressed gratitude and strong emotion upon receiving the award.

Public profile

Hirabai is widely known within and beyond her community for empowering Siddi women economically and educationally. Her work has brought her into contact with prominent individuals and organizations; photographs and accounts note meetings with public figures and awards ceremonies that reflect broader recognition of her contributions. She has stated a long-term aspiration that younger members of the Siddi community will move into diverse professions beyond manual labour.

Personal life

Hirabai is married and has two sons and a daughter. Her husband worked as a labourer and supported her social initiatives. She is a practising Muslim and is known to be non-vegetarian. Her height is listed as approximately 170 cm (5'7") and her hair is described as salt-and-pepper with black eyes.

Latest updates

In 2023 she received the Padma Shri for her community service, and she has continued to be active in local development through the Mahila Vikas Foundation and collaborations with NGOs. Over the years she has helped more than 700 women and children improve their living standards through livelihood, education and health initiatives.
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Recent Work

Mahila Vikas Foundation (Founder)

Founded an organization in 2004 to promote financial literacy, help women open bank accounts and access government schemes.

2004
Padma Shri

Awarded the Padma Shri in recognition of service to the community.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Founded Mahila Vikas Foundation to advance financial literacy and livelihoods for Siddi women
  2. Member of Aga Khan Foundation and Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF)
  3. Winner of Women’s World Summit Foundation prize for creativity in rural living (2002)
  4. Recipient of Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar (2006) and CNN IBN Real Heroes award (2010)
  5. Awarded Padma Shri in 2023
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi Caste, known for?

Social Activist

What is Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi Caste,’s marital status?

Married