Chinna Pillai is a community leader from Pulliseri, a small village near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. She had started a very successful banking system in the villages of Tamil Nadu, and has made many contributions to attempt to reduce poverty and debt grievances by empowering women. She made efforts in starting a savings unit among the women of the village of Pullucheri. Chinna Pillai is illiterate and can only sign her name. She was recognized as a leader because of people find her negotiation skills effective. She bargained on behalf of workers and eventually the employers realized that there may be some benefit in paying higher wages.
Recognition
Chinna Pillai was one of five women to receive the Stree Shakti Puraskar in 1999. In a picture perfect moment for the press, then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee bowed down in respect and touched her feet while presenting her with the award. She had received the Padma Shri for her service in 2019.
References
- Menon, Rasmesh (15 January 2001). "The Negotiator". Rediff. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
- Dharmaraj, Vidyashree (23 March 2002). "Woman Achiever". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 November 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
- Rajachandrasekaran, Anitha (5 March 2005). "On an EQUAL footing". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- "Padma Awards 2019 Announced: Full list of awardees". The NEWS Minute. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.