Women have less than 10 percent representation in India's parliament even though they make up 44 percent of the voting population. But much of that may change if an NGO that is encouraging women to join mainstream politics has its way.

The Centre for Social Research (CSR), through a UN project, "Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy", has selected 1,000 women from across India and is grooming them to contest the April-May Lok Sabha election as well as state assembly polls.