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Tulasi Munda
Munda in 2011
Born	(1947-07-15) 15 July 1947 (age 77) Kainshi, Keonjhar, present-day Odisha (erstwhile British India)
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Tulasi Apa
Occupation(s)	Educator, social activist
Known for	Contribution to education among adivasis (indigenous populations)
Awards	Padma Shri (2001)

Tulasi Munda (born 15 July 1947) is a social activist from the Indian state of Odisha. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 by Government of India for her contribution to spreading literacy among the impoverished adivasi peoples of Odisha. Munda started an informal school in 1964 in Odisha's iron ore mining area to educate children from local adivasi populations, who would otherwise have ended up as child labour in the mines. She had been a child labourer in the mines of Keonjhar herself.

Munda is illiterate and has no formal education. She belongs to the Munda ethnic group of adivasis, the collective term in mainland South Asia for indigenous peoples.

She is popularly known as "Tulasi Apa", literally meaning "Sister Tulasi" in Odia.

Early life

Munda was born on 15 July 1947 in Kainshi village located in the present-day Keonjhar district in Odisha. Keonjhar is one of the most economically underdeveloped districts in Odisha. As a child, she wished to study but the idea of educating girls and women was largely socially unacceptable at the time. Child labour, poverty and slavery prevented indigenous children from getting an education. When she was 12, she went to Serenda village to live with her sister. There she worked in the mines.

Activism

In 1961, Munda met social reformers Ramadevi Choudhury, Nirmala Deshpande and Malati Choudhury who advocated for education for women. She joined their efforts happening in different parts of the country. Munda also met Acharya Vinoba Bhave when he visited Odisha in 1963 during the Bhoodan movement. Her social service training and the guidance of social reformers inspired her future efforts.

She returned to Serenda in 1964 and started an informal school for children in the veranda of her home. Later, she started the "Adivasi Vikas Samiti School". As of 2019, the school provides education up to the 10th standard for nearly 500 boy and girl students every year. The school has increased the level of education and standard of living in the area. Since 1964, she has educated more than 20,000 children and helped the government establish 17 schools for primary or secondary education.

Awards

• Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award given by the Government of India, in 2001, for her contribution to the field of "social work".
• Kadambini Samman, 2008.
• Odisha Living Legend Award for Excellence in Social Service, 2011.
• Lakshmipat Singhania - IIM Lucknow National Leadership Award, in the category of Community Service and Social Upliftment (Leader), 2009.

Biopic

Tulasi Apa, a biographic film based on her based on her life was released in 2015 at the Kolkata Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim. The film was also screened at the 4th edition of the Tehran Jasmine International Film Festival (TJIFF) on 30 October 2016.

References

1. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
2. ^ S., Lekshmi Priya (15 May 2017). "12 Facts About Tulasi Apa, the Odisha Woman Who Taught 20,000+ Children in 50 Years". The Better India. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
3. ^ Tewary, Amarnath (27 March 2000). "Illiterate Herself, She Brings Education To Fellow Tribals". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 13 February 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
4. Priya (11 August 2013). "Story of Tulasi Munda – Adivasi Warrior Princess who empowered her people with education". Be Positive. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
5. Bureau, Odisha Sun Times. "8 Odisha districts among 50 most backward in country: Survey | OdishaSunTimes.com". Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
6. "What you should know about inspiring story of Tulasi Munda of Odisha who has taught more than 20,000 children". Bhubaneshwar Buzz. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
7. "Odia Film Tulasi Apa Based on Life of Eminent Social Activist Tulasi Munda-2016". Odisha News. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
8. "Here's The Story Of Tulasi Munda a.k.a Tulasi Apa". Kutchina Foundation. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
9. "Padma Awards". Department of General Administration and Public Grievance, Odisha. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
10. "Tulasi Munda gets Kadambini Samman". The Hindu. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
11. "Odisha Living Legend Award (Excellence in Social Service): Ms. Tulasi Munda". Odisha Diary. 11 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
12. "Lakshmipat Singhania- IIM, Lucknow National Leadership Awards". LPSIIML Awards. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
13. "Wait for Tulasi Munda biopic in city". Telegraph India. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
14. "Award-winning Biography 'Tulasi Apa' to be Screened at Tehran Film Festival". Discover Bhubaneswar. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2019.

External links

• 1947 births
• Living people
• Munda people
• Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work
• Indian human rights activists
• Indian women activists
• Adivasi activists
• Women educators from Odisha
• Educators from Odisha
• Activists from Odisha
• 20th-century Indian educators
• 20th-century Indian women educators
• Social workers from Odisha
• Recipients of the Utkal Ratna Samman