Alma Grace Barla is an independent writer, researcher and indigenous tribal human rights defender belonging to the Oraon (Kurukh) community from Odisha, India. 

Her commitment to human rights advocacy took root as a student of journalism in New Delhi in 2004-05. During this period, she encountered numerous cases of human-trafficking and different forms of violence faced by migrant tribal girls and women, who had come to Delhi primarily from the rural tribal villages of eastern states of India in search of better livelihood. The majority of them were engaged as domestic workers and were often subjected to organized human trafficking, exploitation, rape, discriminations, physical and mental torture, and even mysterious deaths. Moved by their conditions, she began to work towards their safety and empowerment by voluntarily engaging with support groups and organizations. Her efforts included helping them understand and assert their rights, fostering their leadership capacity, and enhancing their skills through trainings, rescue and rehabilitation of victims, eventually networking with various institutions and organizations, campaigning for policy advocacy, conducting research and documentation.

She has extensively worked with community-based, tribal, and women-led organisations both nationally and internationally through research, documentation, socio-economic empowerment and organizational capacity building initiatives. Her worldview has been shaped by both her upbringing in a rural village, grounded realities and her global reach, allowing her to bring a multifaceted experience to amplify the voices of tribal women and girls, ensuring their stories and challenges are represented at various platforms. 

Alma is the author of Indigenous Heroines-A Saga of Tribal Women of India, which presents insightful narratives of indigenous women’s leadership and their contribution in building the nation with the portrayal of life stories of 14 women.

Despite enduring profound personal loss and adversities, she remains resilient, viewing CAHR’s HRDs Fellowship as a vital opportunity for meaningful reflection and growth.