As women activist and SEWA pioneer Elaben Bhatt passes away on November 2nd, we reminisce her big achievements. Famous journalist Mark Tully appreciates SEWA’s introduction in 1980s when it saved many unemployed individuals due to closure of textile mills; calling the founder a “typhoon in Ahmedabad”. SEWA became independent in 1980 after working under TLA (Textile Labour Association). A worker of TLA, Dhiman Vasavada, vouches that women were given preference in SEWA’s employment, which was revolutionary for its time.