Jagmati Sangwan known for her battles against Haryana’s Khap Panchayats. She was able to become a social reformer due to the relatively liberal attitude of her family who were part of Arya Samaj.

The Sports College for Women, set up by Devi Lal Government in 1978, not only enabled her to get free education but also helped emerge as a national-level volleyball player who represented India in international events. This further strengthened her confidence to take up cudgels for safeguarding the rights of women against the powerful khap panchayats.

Jagmati joined the Haryana Janwadi Mahila Samiti for taking up the cause of women. She not only became its state President but also enrolled more than 50,000 women as its members. She launched awareness campaigns in almost all the districts of Haryana for mobilising women to resist crimes against them. She also began a relentless campaign against female foeticide and honoured the couples having single girl child. She once barged into a meeting of a khap panchayat at Rohtak in 1982, despite women being completely debarred from it at that time. Later on, she took up a case against a khap panchayat when it annulled the already solemnised marriage of a couple, Sonia and Rampal, despite them having a child. Afterwards she tenaciously fought against those involved in the honour killing of Manoj and Babli.

Currently Jagmati Sangwan is the General Secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA).