From illiterate to social activist: Belthangady's own 'Medha Patkar'

She is no Kiran Bedi, nor does she have the aura of Medha Patkar. But the 55-year-old Sumathi from Ilanthila village in Belthangady has in her own little way contributed to the empowerment of women. Her life is a saga of courage, struggle and perseverance. Her tale stands testimony to the fact that the innate strength of an individual comes out shining only when challenged. Sumathi saw a new opportunity in every difficulty that she faced, and today she stands tall as the brave woman, who brought a telling change in the lives of thousands of women in her village.

She was like any other woman of her village until 1991, when she became one of the beneficiaries of the Literacy drive launched by the government and learnt the art of reading and writing. The process of learning exposed her to world beyond the confines of her home. Armed with the new-found weapon of education, she started 'continuing education centres' in Kadadabakil, Nuja and opened a 'Grama Vikasa Kendra' in her tiny home. She joined the drama troupe 'Kannada Nadu Saksharara Nadu' and travelled around the State. Thanks to her initiative, as many as 14 'continuing education centres' were established in her village. By now, she had realized the empowering women through education and employment is the only way to fight poverty and exploitation. She organized women in her village and formed a number of self-help groups.

But, it was an incident in 1994, that caught the imagination of the entire country. The socio-economic initiatives launched by Sumathi and her friends had apparently not gone well with some sections of the society. She and her colleagues had to endure barbs from the men sitting at the village arrack shop whenever they passed by to attend meetings at the panchayat. The drunkards used to abuse women in loud voice and draw fun out of it. One day, a young woman named Veda, became the target of drunkards, who started following her. The petrified girl ran into Sumathi's house.

Sumathi, along with other enlightened women, took the owner of the arrack shop into task and warned him. The owner did not pay heed to the complaint and instead tried to shout down the women. The issue was taken up with the police and the excise department, but the women had to run from pillar to post seeking justice. Meanwhile, the highhandedness of the drunkards continued and women increasingly became a target of the barbs and abuses. The women of the village met under the leadership of Sumathi and decided to resolve the issue once for all. On a predetermined day, the women went to the arrack shop in hundreds and set fire to it. The incident became a national-level news and the fight of Sumathi won accolades from across the country.

But, the job was far from over. The arrack lobby worked overtime to settle scores with Sumathi. They used Sumathi's husband, also a drunkard, to clip the woman's wings. Dancing to the tunes of the liquor lobby, he started torturing her. In the next few days, she was beaten up black and blue by the drunkard husband. Although Sumathi resisted, she could hardly match her husband in physical strength. Moreover, she was worried about her family feud affecting the larger cause of women's empowerment. After putting Sumathi and her three children through untold hardship, the husband left home for good one morning.

But, undeterred by the adversities, Sumathi continued her fight and became a part of the de-addiction camps being organized by Dharmasthala institutions. Initially, it was a difficult job for her to convince the drunkards to join the camp. But, gradually she started wooing them by holding some other benefits as the bait. She got her neighbour Anand attending the camp after promising him to help him out on setting right his tenancy document. Ever since she became a gram panchayat member, her social service activities got a new fillip. She started helping the poor and the marginalized people by securing them benefits under various government schemes including Ashraya, Indira Avaas, Neralina Bhagya. She also helped a number of people in securing old-age pension, widowhood pension, handicapped pension etc. In order to empower women economically, Sumathi set up tailoring training centres, phenol manufacturing unit, and also introduced them to insurance schemes and savings schemes.

Today, tailoring training centres are functioning in Ilanthila, Andethadka, Nejikar, Kadapudabakil, Bannengala, Karaya, and Kallerige. Due to her efforts as many as 175 women have got tailoring machine. Several beneficiaries have started their own stitching units. Gayatri, one of the beneficiaries, today has set up a tailoring shop in Uppinangady and as many as five women are employed in her unit. Thanks to her tireless endeavor, the Paradka-Elmadi-Manipar road has been asphalted. After being deserted by her husband Sumathi brought up her three girl children on her own and gave them good education. She was able to marry them off without having to pay dowry as all of them had attained good jobs. This has also inspired other women in the village to educate their daughters and make them economically independent.

The silent revolution brought about by Sumathi in her village goes on to prove how education can transform the life of an individual and also at the same time make her an agent of change. She has been elected to the gram panchayat thrice and has also served as the vice-president for one term. After realizing many of her dreams, she still thinks much more needed to be done to ensure equal opportunities for women both at home and in the society. Her passion and dedication reminds one of Robert Frost's immortal lines: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But, I have promises to keep. Miles to go before I sleep.”