Padala Bhudevi: Empowering Adivasi Women, Growing Strong Futures
Padala Bhudevi, who hails from the tribal villages of Andhra Pradesh can be seen as an
epitome of hope and has enabled Adivasi women to be strong and self-reliant. Her
background as a child of Savara tribe of Srikakulam emerged through her hard days to bring thousands of women out to live a better life by starting farming and employment. In 2020, the Nari Shakti Puraskar was given to her on her efforts with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and her organization, Chinnaya Adivasi Vikas Trust. The story of Bhudevi is a quest of her conversion of miseries into powers and creation of happier future of tribal women.
Rising Above Challenges
It was not an easy life of Bhudevi. Her husband left her meaning that she had to raise three daughters since she was married at age 11 and had experienced abuse. In the year 2000, she went back to the home of her father where she started working as a daily laborer. She was inspired by the charity foundation of her late father called Chinnaya Adivasi Vikas Society which began in 1996. When Khompan passed in 2007, Bhudevi assumed his post giving it a new name Chinnaya Adivasi Vikas Trust. She was living among tribal women, hearing of their problems and assisting them to come up with solutions to their problems, especially in the areas of farming, health and education. Her bravery was the reason why she became an example to women farmers and women entrepreneurs.
Growing Wealth Through Farming
Bhudevi observed that tribal women were in need to find some ways to earn money in a
better way. She cooperated with ITDA to develop natural farming and traditional seeds that increased diets and profits. She also established Manyam Grains Pvt Ltd and Manyadeepika Farmers Producer Company Ltd, which gave women the opportunity to produce and market various crops such as millets, turmeric, tamarind among others. She launched the Neelammathalli Bakery in Seethampeta in 2017 which produces millet biscuits, cakes and dosa mix and distributed them in Andhra Pradesh. Her bakery increased its turnover as well as provided an occupation to 30 women, with the turnover going up to 25 lakhs. Bhudevi also taught women how to make mehendi cones and hair products using henna increasing their income.
Leading with Heart
Bhudevi has not made it all about a business, but about giving women dignity and self-
worth. In 2013, she visited China and the Netherlands to get knowledge on improved
farming methodologies which she takes back to her people. Her work allowed women t
acquire the right of access to land and clean water and toilets. She had created awareness on nutrition as well to ensure mothers and children to be healthy. Lakshmi and her fellow women who are currently operating a small millet store say, “Bhudevi taught us that we too can be tough and support our families.” Her leadership has also ensured that the female tribal women are the heads in their villages and it has also left a mark in the young girls who dream big too.
A Bright Future for Adivasis
The vision of Bhudevi is to make more women entrepreneurs and local employment. She will use assistance of NABARD and ITDA to grow her bakery to use additional machines. It is because of her hard work that her three daughters are studying in good schools. Being peacefully awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2020, Bhudevi still tried to defend tribal women, widows, and podu lands. Her literature demonstrates that in the hard seasons, there is always something different an individual can do in the lives of other people. With every seed of hope that she is sowing, Bhudevi is nurturing a better and self-reliant future of the
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