Vanita married into a wealthy family that ran a state-run poultry farm. After being oppressed by her family for years, when the poultry farm went bankrupt, Vanita decided to take matters into her own hands. She became the leader of Mann Deshi's Self Help Groups and started a paper cup making business. She organized 17 other women in purchasing their own machines. She eventually went on to lead 35 such SHGs and became the voice of the village women.

Although Vanita still lives in a mud house, she has come a long way from where she was. In April 2006 she was declared one of two national winners of the Woman Exemplar Award, sponsored annually by the national Confederation of Indian Industries. The Exemplar Award is designed to honor "grass-roots, poor, under privileged community level women who have excelled in their contribution in the development process. The main duty of the person who receives the award is to empower others." Vanita has been doing that for years.