Kinkri Devi

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Kinkri Devi (1925 – December 30, 2007) was an Indian activist and environmentalist, best known for waging a war on illegal mining and quarrying in her native state of Himachal Pradesh. She never knew how to read or write and learned how to sign her name a few years before her death.[1]

She became well known for her poverty, which was eventually eased by a US-based charity organisation of Himachal Pradesh later in life after reading a Punjabi newspaper account of her living conditions.[2]

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[edit] Early life

Devi was born in the village of Ghaton in the Sirmaur district in 1925.[1][2] Her father was a substinance farmer of the Dalit, or untouchable caste.[1] She began working as a servant during her early childhood and married bonded laborer Shamu Ram at age 14.[1] Ram died of typhoid fever when she was 22.[1]

While working at her new job as a sweeper, Devi noticed the massive quarrying in some parts of Himachal Pradesh's hills, harming the water supply and destroying paddy fields.[1] At this point Devi decided to take on the mining herself.[1]

[edit] Activism

A local volunteering group, the People's Action for People in Need, backed Devi as she filed a public interest lawsuit in the High Court of Shimla against 48 mine owners.[1] She accused that the quarriers were being reckless in their mining of limestone, though the group denied all allegations against them, claiming she was simply blackmailing them.[1]

Her suit got virtually no response, so Devi went on a 19 day hunger strike outside the court.[1] When the court decided to take up the issue, Devi had become a national celebrity.[1] The court ordered in 1987 a stay on mining and imposed a blanket ban on blasting in her beloved hills.[1] The mine owners appealed to the Supreme Court of India, who rejected their appeal in July 1995.[1]

Interest was taken upon her by then first lady Hillary Clinton, and that same year Devi was invited to attend the International Women's Conference in Beijing.[1] She was asked to light the lamp in the beginning of the ceremonies, and spoke of the cause she was fighting against and how ordinary people can make an impact.[1]

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, illegal mining still continued in the hills and forest preserves, though on a decreased scale.[1] Besides her environmentalism, one of Devi's other endeavors was campaigning for the creation of a degree-granting college in Sangrah.[1] She claimed that while it wasn't right for her to study, she didn't want "others to suffer the way I did for want of education."[1]

[edit] Death

Devi died December 30, 2007 in Chandigarh, India aged 82.[1] She is survived by a son and 12 grandchildren.[1]

[edit] Awards

  • In 1999, Devi was awarded the Stree Shakti.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Pandya, Haresh. "Kinkri Devi, 82, battled illegal mining in India", International Herald Tribune, 2008-01-06. Retrieved on 2008-02-21. 
  2. ^ a b c "Kinkri Devi: Impoverished Dalit woman who became an unlikely celebrity after campaigning against mining in her home region", The Times, 2008-01-03. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.