Rajmohini Devi | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | |
Occupation | Social service |
Known for | Bapu Dharma Sabha Adivasi Seva Mandal |
Awards | Padma Shri |
Rajmohini Devi was an Indian social worker, gandhian and the founder of Bapu Dharma Sabha Adivasi Seva Mandal, established by her in 1951. The famine of Surguja in 1951 involved a great scarcity of food grains and crop failure. The famine had direct bearing on the rise of a reform movement called Rajmohini Devi Movement,[1] a non governmental organization working for the welfare of the tribal people of Gondwana, in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.[2] It was reported that she had a vision about Mahatma Gandhi and his ideals during the famine of 1951,[3] and she started a movement, (popularly known as Rajmohini Movement) for the liberation of women.[4] and eradication of superstitions and drinking habits among the tribal people.[5] The movement gradually assumed the status of a cult movement with a following of over 80,000 people and was later converted into a non governmental organization, under the name, Bapu Dharma Sabha Adivasi Seva Mandal.[3] The organization functions through several ashrams set up in the states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.[3]
The Government of India awarded Devi the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1989.[6] Her life has been documented in a book, Samajik Kranti ki Agradoot Rajmohini Devi, written by Seema Sudhir Jindal and published by Chhattisgarh State Hindi Granth Academy in 2013.[2] A research station, Raj Mohini Devi College of Agriculture and Research Station, housed at Indira Gandhi Agricultural University[7] and a government girls' college, Rajmohini Devi PG Girls College, in Ambikapur, are named after her.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Tribal Freedom Fighters of India. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 30 August 2017. ISBN 9788123025216.
- ^ a b "CM Releases Book on Padmashree Rajmohini Devi". Daily Pioneer. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Stephen Fuchs. "Messianic Movements in Primitive India". NIRC.
- ^ K N Dash (2004). Invitation to Social and Cultural Anthropology. Atlantic Publishers. p. 421. ISBN 9788126903238.
- ^ Virginius Xaxa (2008). State, Society, and Tribes: Issues in Post-colonial India. Pearson Education India. p. 131. ISBN 9788131721223.
- ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Raj Mohini Devi College of Agriculture and Research Station". Indira Gandhi Agricultural University. 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ "Rajmohini Devi PG Girls College". Rajmohini Devi PG Girls College. 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.