Anti-child marriage crusader, graveyard worker among 20 women honoured with Kittur Rani Chennamma awards

Bengaluru: A tribal woman who prevented child marriages in the Jenu Kuruba community in Mysuru, a widow who took up her husband’s work at a graveyard after his death and has overseen the burial of over 40,000 bodies and a young woman who started a school for intellectually challenged children were among the 20 individuals honoured with the Kittur Rani Chennamma Award on International Women’s Day.

Six institutions and eight Streeshakthi groups were also honoured by the women and child welfare department for their exemplary work.

Vanaja Poova Poojari, who works as a security personnel at Beedana Gudde graveyard in Udupi, has been known for her dedicated service for the past 27 years. Vanaja was pregnant when her husband died, and she took up his job to support the family. Asked if she ever feared dealing with dead bodies, she told women and child welfare minister Jaimala Ramachandra: “The graveyard is the domain of the dead and is safer than the world outside.”

Janakamma was honoured for her work towards betterment of the Jenu Kuruba tribal community. Her efforts to provide basic services to tribals in the forests of Periyapatna near Mysuru and prevent child marriages were lauded. “I got married at the age of 12. Such early weddings have led to maternal deaths. Now, girls in our community don’t marry before they are 18 and people have understood why we oppose child marriage,” Janakamma told TOI.

A group of children with intellectual disabilities was ecstatic when their teacher and founder of Karunamayi Foundation, Soumya, from Mysuru walked up the dais to receive the award.

Addressing the audience, Jaimala said anganwadi workers, Streeshakti groups and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) are the major women forces contributing to the state’s development. “Women’s Day has to go beyond wishing one another. Speedy disposal of cases pertaining to women’s exploitation is the need of the hour,” she said.

Among the awardees, actor B Saroja Devi recalled her titular role in Kannada film Kitturu Chennamma. “I was just 16 years old when I played Kitturu Rani Chennamma, who opposed the British rule. My dialogues from the film are now staple for schoolchildren’s mono-acting performances, which thrills me even today,” she said.

Mahila Dakshata Samiti and Swathi Mahila Sangha, both from Bengaluru, were among the institutions honoured.

Box: Nadageethe should be sung in 1 min: Prof Kamala

After receiving the award, writer Kamala Hampana said the state anthem (Nadageethe) can be sung in one minute by singing the first and the last stanza of the Kuvempu poem. “The state anthem takes close to five minutes to sing as was the case in Friday’s event. I request minister Jaimala to consider introducing a law to sing the state anthem in a minute,” said Prof Kamala.