The menstrual makeover | Menstrual hygiene in India

Menstrual hygiene in India has come a long way in recent years. Awareness campaigns and product innovations are breaking taboos and making it a smoother period for women in the countryIllustration by NILANJAN DASISSUE DATE: Oct 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 16:42 IST W hen 33-year-old Sonali Mukherjee, a freelance graphic designer, returned to her hometown of Indore after five years studying and working in Canada, one of the unexpected changes she noticed was the periodcare aisle in department stores. “Before I left, pads would rub against the inner thighs and leave you feeling damp and uncomfortable. Now, they’re so much softer and more breathable. You don’t have that horrible sogginess or itchiness all the time,” she says. “I didn’t even know period panties were available here.” Alongside, her younger cousins in the city seem more comfortable talking about menstruation than she does herself.