Our team
Chetna Sinha founding member 
Mala Raghuram Treasurer |
Julie Sanghani Founding Member 
Sandhya Rathod Secretary |
Sandhya Saldhana ChAirperson |
About Us
Chetna Sinha - Founder Member
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Chetna is founding member and Vice Secretary of Indian Women’s Association of Wales (IWAW). She has been a passionate supporter of women’s rights, especially amongst migrant communities in the UK. She is a Trustee of The Mentor Ring (TMR), Board Member (and former Chair) of Black Association of Women Step Out (BAWSO), and a Trustee of multiple South Asian community organisations.
Professionally, Chetna is a leading figure in immigration law practice in South Wales, with two decades of experience. As founder and partner at Chetna & Co Solicitors, she has been a determined pro-bono advocate for women in a number of family and domestic violence legal cases. Chetna holds an LLB degree, as well as an MSc qualification from Cardiff University. |
Julie Sanghani - Founder Member
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Julie Sangani, First Indian Women represent on Cardiff City Council as Cabinet Member for Equality and Public Health And Councillor for Heath and Birch grove Area.
Julie Sangani has born in Saurashtra and brought up in Mumbai/ India and moved to UK in 2008 .She is a Welsh Indian woman who wants to stay engaged with the world, who believes that she has a place in the world, and ideas to offer with the focus on women’s self-development and pursuit of happiness by managing work, family and engagement with community as a result she is one of the founder member of IWAW. |
She is currently serving as Local Authority school governor in Ton-Yr -Ywen Primary School.
Julie is an active Co-Vice Chair of NWAMI (Networking for World Awareness of Multicultural Integration ) since 2018 and is working towards a share goal of cohesion of intercultural and hate crime. Her contribution played a role in promoting awareness for an interculturalist in community.
She contributed towards various cultural events of Indian organisation in Cardiff, like Sanatan Dharma Mandal, Hindu Cultural Association of Wales, and Bhakti Dham Wales etc. since 2014 Julie has encouraged young children for building up confidence.
Julie has contributed towards education Policy Discussion on various platforms.
Julie provides service to Wales Interpretation and Translation Services as interpreter among the BAME community in the health care and Judicial sector especially people who are unable to speak English. She attended as an interpreter in medical appointments, with Women connect and The Cardiff Council to help filling the DWP Benefit forms and has been available over phone to support vulnerable old age people.
As a Homeopathic consultant, she serves remedies to cure maladies and women's health issues.
Julie has received THE INDIA CENTRE AWARD for Invaluable Community Service in 26th Jan 22 from Hindu Cultural Association.
Julie is a shiny example for Welsh Asian women evolved with the success as self-evolution due to her versatile nature and has an ability to make room for other women to build relationships in community would like to nominate her for all her achievements.
Julie is an active Co-Vice Chair of NWAMI (Networking for World Awareness of Multicultural Integration ) since 2018 and is working towards a share goal of cohesion of intercultural and hate crime. Her contribution played a role in promoting awareness for an interculturalist in community.
She contributed towards various cultural events of Indian organisation in Cardiff, like Sanatan Dharma Mandal, Hindu Cultural Association of Wales, and Bhakti Dham Wales etc. since 2014 Julie has encouraged young children for building up confidence.
Julie has contributed towards education Policy Discussion on various platforms.
Julie provides service to Wales Interpretation and Translation Services as interpreter among the BAME community in the health care and Judicial sector especially people who are unable to speak English. She attended as an interpreter in medical appointments, with Women connect and The Cardiff Council to help filling the DWP Benefit forms and has been available over phone to support vulnerable old age people.
As a Homeopathic consultant, she serves remedies to cure maladies and women's health issues.
Julie has received THE INDIA CENTRE AWARD for Invaluable Community Service in 26th Jan 22 from Hindu Cultural Association.
Julie is a shiny example for Welsh Asian women evolved with the success as self-evolution due to her versatile nature and has an ability to make room for other women to build relationships in community would like to nominate her for all her achievements.
Sandhya Saldhana - Chairperson
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I find myself at a point in life where I feel the need to rediscover and redefine who I am. I have had some strong women role models in my life. However, I suddenly find myself isolated and lonely because of the frequent moving due to my husband’s work; prioritising the well-being of my children and my husband’s career. I have experienced various women’s groups and realised there is not one for Indian women who are talented, strong and astute women and I want to experience their powerful energy through IWAW.
I feel blessed to be nominated as the Chairperson of IWAW by the founder members. I support developing outside connections, everyday work, and all activities that promote the benefit of IWAW. |
There is stability in the sensation when you feel held. My earliest experience of this was with my family. I feel blessed. In this phase of my life where change is a constant in every aspect, the knowledge and experience that I am held by my fellow women in the founding committees of IWAW is very stabilising. The wider sense of belonging can be extremely liberating and grounding. The connection I feel within IWAW transcends my roles as a mother, a wife and a professional to being part of the power called “the feminine”. Just like the compassion, commitment, and creativity I have developed through being a mother, a wife and a professional feed my role in IWAW.
Fun Fact: I can identify myself with the snake. Just like a snake cast its old skin for a new one I have invented and reinvented myself through my life experiences. There are many divine and symbolic representation of the snake in my culture that aligns me with this animal including the Kundalini serpent in Yoga and the snake around Shiva’s neck as part of Shiva Shakti symbolising transformation and liberation.
Fun Fact: I can identify myself with the snake. Just like a snake cast its old skin for a new one I have invented and reinvented myself through my life experiences. There are many divine and symbolic representation of the snake in my culture that aligns me with this animal including the Kundalini serpent in Yoga and the snake around Shiva’s neck as part of Shiva Shakti symbolising transformation and liberation.
Sandhya Rathod - Secretary
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IWAW means lot to me. This gives me an opportunity to connect with various women. Being away from my native country, and family is always challenging. I have always longed to meet people from my community. Through IWAW I can engage with the wider community, not just Indian but various communities in Wales.
I have been privileged to be a secretary in IWAW. I am very grateful and happy to be a founder member of IWAW. I will be handling all the communication on behalf of IWAW with the support of the other founder members of the organisation. |
I have been always trying to balance my family life and work life. At one stage I was a student and looking after my family and work. We women go through various roles in the family as a wife, mother, daughter etc. Nature has given special ability to cope with various pressures and pains to a woman. But sometimes she needs a shoulder to rest, to open, to cry. In IWAW we are the friends for each other to provide that shoulder to each other.
When you are on your own it can be very difficult. Through IWAW I get a sense of belonging, knowing different women, and helping each other, the opportunity to share each other’s experiences gives me immense satisfaction and confidence at this point in life. It enhances my organisation skills and other soft skills which will ultimately help to explore the purpose of my life.
It is very difficult to describe myself as one thing. I believe that adaptation is the key to survival or success. I have been adapting to various roles, situations and different places in my life. I believe life is like a river, that keeps flowing, evolving, taking people, and experiences along with you and not looking back.
My never-giving attitude makes me very resilient and positive to take up the challenges of life. In IWAW we are together supporting each other to bring the best of each other.
When you are on your own it can be very difficult. Through IWAW I get a sense of belonging, knowing different women, and helping each other, the opportunity to share each other’s experiences gives me immense satisfaction and confidence at this point in life. It enhances my organisation skills and other soft skills which will ultimately help to explore the purpose of my life.
It is very difficult to describe myself as one thing. I believe that adaptation is the key to survival or success. I have been adapting to various roles, situations and different places in my life. I believe life is like a river, that keeps flowing, evolving, taking people, and experiences along with you and not looking back.
My never-giving attitude makes me very resilient and positive to take up the challenges of life. In IWAW we are together supporting each other to bring the best of each other.
Mala Raghuram - Treasurer
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I am an Accountant by profession & working in the NHS for over 20 years. I started my career in Hereford and moved to Cardiff over 25 years ago. I have worked with different NHS organisations in Wales gaining valuable experience and knowledge of the workings of our much-loved NHS. I have also been active in mentoring finance trainees in work.
More recently, I was seriously considering expanding my remit into voluntary organisations. Outside of work, I love outdoor hiking with friends; yoga and keeping fit. I have in the past worked with BAWSO (a charitable organisation) as a voluntary interpreter. When my children were at school, I was a Treasurer for the parent’s group, helping with organising fund-raising events etc. for many years. I was an active parent helping with transportation and cricket Teas for many cricket matches whilst my children played high-level cricket. |
Fortunately for me, a small group of like-minded Indian women friends approached me to join them as founder members of the organisation, that was to be IWAW.
I have been part of many community groups over the years living in Cardiff but almost all represent individual community groups from India.
IWAW is different in that we hope, to welcome all Indian women with open arms; The ethos of offering support and development to all, without any kind of judgement, completely sat with my own values. This really resonated in me, and I was very honoured to be offered a Treasurer’s role. I will endeavour to perform my role with utmost commitment and humility with the aim of serving our community.
I believe I have been very fortunate in life generally, but as we all appreciate, life sometimes has uncanny ways of throwing unexpected events; as a family, we found ourselves in exactly this position a couple of years ago. Following this, I have managed to gain some very positive life lessons and the value of unconditional support from all our friendship groups. I therefore consider being part of IWAW women will help grow this support network & value the importance of kindness and caring in our communities.
Fun fact: I would love to identify myself as a bird. I think it reflects FREEDOM Always free to fly away with no Boundaries.
I have been part of many community groups over the years living in Cardiff but almost all represent individual community groups from India.
IWAW is different in that we hope, to welcome all Indian women with open arms; The ethos of offering support and development to all, without any kind of judgement, completely sat with my own values. This really resonated in me, and I was very honoured to be offered a Treasurer’s role. I will endeavour to perform my role with utmost commitment and humility with the aim of serving our community.
I believe I have been very fortunate in life generally, but as we all appreciate, life sometimes has uncanny ways of throwing unexpected events; as a family, we found ourselves in exactly this position a couple of years ago. Following this, I have managed to gain some very positive life lessons and the value of unconditional support from all our friendship groups. I therefore consider being part of IWAW women will help grow this support network & value the importance of kindness and caring in our communities.
Fun fact: I would love to identify myself as a bird. I think it reflects FREEDOM Always free to fly away with no Boundaries.
