K. V. Rabiya

Last updated

Kariveppil Rabiya
Rabiya.jpg
Rabiya receives the 1993 National Youth Award from the Prime Minister of India Narasimha Rao
Born1966
NationalityIndian
OccupationSocial worker
Known forRole in the Kerala State Literacy Campaign
Awards

Kariveppil Rabiya (born 1966) is a physically disabled social worker from Vellilakkadu, Malappuram, Kerala in India who rose to prominence through her role in the Kerala State Literacy Campaign in Malappuram district in 1990. Her efforts were recognized at a national level by the Government of India on multiple occasions. In 1994, the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India awarded her the National Youth Award for her contributions to society. [1] In January 2001, she was awarded the first Kannagi Sthree Sakthi Puraskar award for the year 1999 for her contribution to upliftment and empowerment of women. [2] [3] She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri in January 2022. [4]

Contents

Beginnings

Born on 25 February 1966 to a poor Mappila family in a remote village, Vellilakkadu, in the district of Malappuram in Kerala as the daughter of a smalltime ration shopowner, Rabiya did her initial studies at Tirurangadi High School before pursuing her graduation at the PSMO College, Tirurangadi. At the young age of 17, while in her first year at college, her legs were crippled by polio. She was forced to stop her studies since she could only move with the help of a wheelchair. [5] [6]

Literacy campaign

In June 1990, she began a campaign for adult literacy for illiterate people of all ages near her locality. Within six months, virtually the entire illiterate population of Tirurangadi was in her class. Though her work deteriorated her physical condition, she moved forward, garnering support from both the public at large and the authorities. In June 1992, state authorities and officials visited her classroom and were surprised to see a child of 8 studying alongside an 80-year-old woman. Upon receiving her complaints about the lack of basic infrastructure in her village, the District Collector sanctioned roads, electricity, telephone, and water connection for her village. The one-and-a-half km road was aptly named Akshara (word) Road. [5] [6] [7]

She later started a volunteer organization, Chalanam (motion), and continues to serve as its president. It runs six schools for physically or intellectually disabled children. The organization also promotes health awareness and runs schools, health clubs, continuing education programs, training for women, and rehabilitation of physically disabled people. Its activities also include inspiring public awareness against alcoholism, dowry, family feuds, superstition, and communalism. It also established a small-scale manufacturing unit for women, a women's library, and a youth club in the educationally backward village of Vellilakkadu. Her efforts played an important part in eliminating illiteracy in Kerala. [5] [6] [7]

She also involved herself in the "Akshaya: Bridging the Digital Divide" project that made 'Malappuram the first E-Literate district in India. [8]

Personal struggles

After polio paralyzed her below the waist, she continued to move around in a wheelchair. But a few years later in 2000, she was diagnosed with cancer making things much more difficult for her. She successfully underwent chemotherapy at Amala Hospital, Thrissur. While at the hospital, she counseled other patients and instilled hope in them for their future. [9]

In 2002, she went for the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and performed the Hajj, fulfilling her longtime dream. [9] [10]

By 2004, she had returned to her work, but another tragedy struck her. She slipped on the floor of her bathroom breaking her spinal vertebral column and bringing her movements to a virtual halt. She was partially paralyzed below the neck. Later, due to the non-functioning of muscles, she had to resign to life with a urine bag. As she lay on the waterbed, trying to cope with the pain and inability, she started writing her memories on pages of notebooks using colored pencils. Despite the odds, she still continues her work alongside 100 other volunteers at Chalanam with continued determination. [7] [9]

The different challenges to her health played havoc with not only the family's psyche but also their finances. To secure finances for her treatment, she wrote her memories painstakingly lying on the bed, word by word, and completed the book – Mouna Nombarangal. [9]

Recognition

Her autobiography, Swapnangalkku Chirakukalundu (Dreams have wings) was released in April 2009. Sukumar Azhikode hailed it as compared to some of the greatest biographies in history. [11] An earlier collection of her memoirs Mouna Nombarangal (Silent Tears) had been released by the Chief Minister of Kerala V. S. Achuthanandan on 26 October 2006. She has also authored 3 other books. She uses the royalty from the book for her medical expenses. [7] [9]

Her achievements despite her physical disabilities made her an icon of the literacy campaign of the 1990s in Kerala. [11] A biographic film entitled "Rabiya Moves", was made by director Ali Akbar and was noted for its motivational content and translated into 14 languages. Various publications across the world have written more than 100 articles on her work. [5] [12]

Her first national recognition came in 1994 when she won the National Youth Award from the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India. She won the Padma Shri on 25 January 2022, on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day of India. She was the first recipient of Kannagi Devi Stree Shakti Puraskar in 2000 instituted by the Child Welfare Department of the Government of India. She also won the Youth Volunteer against Poverty, jointly instituted by the Government of India Central Youth Affairs Ministry and UNDP in 2000. The Junior Chamber International selected her for the Ten Outstanding Young Indians award in 1999. Other awards include Nehru Yuva Kendra Award, Bajaj Trust Award, Ramasramam Award, the State Literacy Samiti Award, [7] the Seethi Sahib Smaraka award (2010), the Joseph Mundassery Award for Outstanding social work (2010) and the Dr. Mary Verghese Award for Excellence in Empowering Ability (2013). [13] [14] [15] [16]

Quotes

A devout Muslim, Rabiya devotes a lot of her time reading the Quran and ascribes the credit for her success to God. [7]

He is the sole source of my energy, and I am bound to work for the awards in the life hereafter.

Among her students were her mother and grandmother. The situation thrilled her:

It was a great pleasure to see many people in their 60s and 70s coming to the class with slates and pencils, ... I was really thrilled when my grandma called me a teacher.

On another occasion she was quoted: [8]

My advice is when you lose a leg, you'll stand on the other, And when you lose both legs, you have your hands. When fate chops them off too, you will live on the strength of your brains.

Governor of Kerala R.L. Bhatia wrote to her after reading excerpts in English from her forthcoming autobiography: [8]

Your dedicated service reminds me of the words of former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt that‚ 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malappuram district</span> District in Kerala, India

Malappuram, is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of 70 km (43 mi). The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the total population of the state. The district was formed on 16 June 1969, spanning an area of about 3,554 km2 (1,372 sq mi). It is the third-largest district of Kerala by area. It is bounded by Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea on either side. The district is divided into seven Taluks: Eranad, Kondotty, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Tirur, and Tirurangadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirurangadi</span> Municipality in Kerala, India

Tirurangadi is a municipal town in Malappuram district of the Indian state Kerala. It is a historic town famed for its active participation in the freedom struggle, especially those dating back to the 1920s. It serves as a local taluk and is located, 30 km south of Calicut and 140 km north of Ernakulam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maneka Gandhi</span> Indian politician and activist

Maneka Gandhi is an Indian politician, animal rights activist, and environmentalist. She is a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is the widow of Indian politician Sanjay Gandhi. She has been a minister in four governments, most recently in Narendra Modi's government from May 2014 to May 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malappuram</span> Metropolis Kerala, India

Malappuram is a city and the headquarters of the Malappuram district in Kerala, India. It is the 4th largest urban agglomeration in Kerala and the 20th largest in India and a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 158.20 km2 (61.08 sq mi) including the surrounding suburban areas. The first municipality in the district formed in 1970, Malappuram serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. Divided into 40 electoral wards, the city has a population density of 4,800 per square kilometre. According to the 2011 census, the Malappuram metropolitan area is the fourth largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi, Calicut, and Thrissur urban areas and the 20th largest in India with a total population of 3 million. It is the fastest growing city in the world with a 44.1% urban growth between 2015 and 2020 as per the survey conducted by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) based on the urban area growth during January 2020. Malappuram is situated 54 km southeast of Calicut and 90 km northwest of Palakkad. It is the first Indian municipal body to provide free Wi-Fi connectivity to its entire residents. Malappuram is also the first Indian municipal body to achieve the International Organization for Standardization certificate. It is also the first complaint-free municipality in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mrinalini Sarabhai</span> Indian classical dancer

Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and instructor. She was the founder and director of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, an institute for imparting training in dance, drama, music and puppetry, in the city of Ahmedabad. She received Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Padma Shri in 1965. She also received many other citations in recognition of her contribution to art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jetsun Pema (born 1940)</span>

Jetsun Pema is the sister of the 14th Dalai Lama. For 42 years she was the President of the Tibetan Children's Villages (TCV) school system for Tibetan refugee students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramanattukara</span> Municipality/Suburb in Kozhikode, Kerala, India

Ramanattukara is a municipality census town in Kozhikode district in the Indian state of Kerala. This town was formerly called Kadungan Chira village. Ramanattukara is located 15 km away from Kozhikode city.

E. Moidu Moulavi (1886–1995) was an Indian National Congress (INC) leader,Islamic scholar, one of the Salafi movements reformers, scholar and educationist of Malabar District, born at Maranchery in Ponnani. He was a supporter of the Islahi movement in Kerala and a co-worker with leaders like K. M. Maulavi, Sayyid Sanaulla Makti Thangal, Mohammed Abdul Rahiman and K. M. Seethi Sahib

Dr. Vartika Nanda is an Indian prison reformer and a media educator. With her experience of the industry and academia, she has dedicated her life to the cause of prison reform. She is a recipient of Stree Shakti Puraskar, the highest civilian honour for female empowerment in India and entered Limca Book of Records twice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajeet Cour</span>

Ajeet Cour is an Indian writer who writes in Punjabi. She is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award by the Government of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. M. Seethi Sahib</span> Indian politician and intellectual

K. M. Seethi Sahib (1899—1961), born K. M. Seethi, was an Indian politician and community leader from Kerala. He served as the Speaker of Kerala Assembly during 1960-61.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Verghese</span> Indian physician

Mary Puthisseril Verghese (1925–1986) was a physician in India who was among the earliest pioneers of Physical medicine and rehabilitation in the country. Mary Verghese was instilled in a home where love and respect were two main factors in their close knit family. She was caring of others and wanted to give back to her community in any way that she could. In 1963, she took charge of what was the first department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with an inpatient facility in India at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. She was instrumental in expanding the services of the department with the establishment of the first inpatient rehabilitation institute of the country in 1966. In recognition of her contributions to the field of medicine, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1972.

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 here negotiation skills effective. She bargained on behalf of workers and eventually the employers realized that there may be some benefit in paying higher wages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. T. Jaleel</span> Indian politician

K. T. Jaleel is an Indian politician from Kerala and a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Thavanur and has served as Minister of Higher Education, Welfare of Minorities, Waqf and Hajj in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) -led ministry. He was first elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2006. He was an Associate Professor of History at P. S. M. O. College, Tirurangadi. He previously served as Minister of Local Administration, Government of Kerala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nari Shakti Puraskar</span> Highest civilian honour for women in India

The Nari Shakti Puraskar is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is the highest civilian honour for women in India, and is presented by the president of India on International Women's Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The award was instituted in 1999 under the title of Stree Shakti Puraskar, renamed and reorganised in 2015. It is awarded in six institutional and two individual categories, which carry a cash prize of 200,000 and 100,000 rupees, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Nagarathnamma</span> Indian theatre personality

R. Nagarathnamma (1926–2012) was an Indian theatre personality and the founder of Stree Nataka Mandali, an all-women theatre group based in Bengaluru. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, she was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.

Uma Tuli is an Indian social worker, educationist and the founder of Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation, working for the rehabilitation of physically disabled people. She was honoured by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karthyayani Amma</span> Indian woman (1922–2023)

Karthyayani Amma was an Indian woman who passed a literacy examination with top marks at the age of 96. She received the Nari Shakti Puraskar award, the highest civilian award for a woman, by the government of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seema Sakhare</span> Indian feminist

Seema Sakhare is an Indian feminist who campaigns to stop violence against women.

References

  1. "Ker sanctions Rs 5 lakh to physically challenged social worker". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. Pg 282 Annual plan, India. Planning Commission, 2001
  3. Pg 5, Women and children, our commitment: two years of progress, October 1999 to September 2001, Dept. of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India, 2001
  4. "Padma Awards 2022". Padma Awardee Ticket 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Pg 166–167, KV Rabiya, Some Outstanding Women of India By Dr. Satishchandra Kumar
  6. 1 2 3 FIVE WOMEN TO RECEIVE STREE SHAKTI PURASKAR FOR 1999, Government of India, Press Information Bureau releases, October 2000
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Moving force – India Beats". The Hindu . 30 September 2007. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 "For Literacy Movement Champion the Only Thing to Fear Is Fear Mohammed Ashraf, Arab News, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 18 November 2006". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Kungumam, December Issue, 2006]
  10. "ധന്യാനുഭവത്തിന്റെ അറഫ സംഗമം". 22 February 2002.
  11. 1 2 Rabiya's autobiography released The Hindu, 19 April 2009
  12. http://www.mnddc.org/news/inclusion-daily/2006/10/100406indadvemp.htm Crusader Helps Children And Women Achieve 4 October 2006, The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
  13. "Seethi Sahib awards declared". The Hindu . Chennai, India. 12 January 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010.
  14. Seethi Sahib Memorial awards – Mathrubhumi 12 Jan 2010 [ permanent dead link ]
  15. "Thrissur body announces winners of awards – The Peninsula 8 July 2010". Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  16. "Dr Mary Verghese Award 2013". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.