Saraswathi Gora

Saraswathi Gora
Born 28 September 1912
Died 19 August 2006(2006-08-19) (aged 93)
Vijayawada, India
Nationality Indian
Occupation Social worker
Known for Co-founder of the Atheist Centre
Spouse(s) Gora
Children (9)Lavanam
Chennupati Vidya
Relatives Hemalatha Lavanam (daughter-in-law)
Awards Jamnalal Bajaj Award (1999)

Saraswathi Gora (28 September 1912 – 19 August 2006) was an Indian social activist who served as leader of the Atheist Centre for many years, campaigning against untouchability and the caste system.

Biography

In the 1930s, Saraswathi championed and performed marriages of devadasis and of widows remarriages along with her husband Gora. After learning about their efforts to abolish untouchability and the caste system, and towards social reform, they were invited to Mahatma Gandhi's ashram in Sevagram in 1944, where they stayed for two weeks.[1]

Along with her husband, Saraswathi established the Atheist Center in 1940. Their goal was to promote human values based on atheism, rationalism and Gandhism.

A political activist of India's freedom movement, she was imprisoned during the Quit India movement. She went to jail carrying her two-and-half-year old son, Niyanta.

Personal life

Her autobiography My Life With Gora was published (in Telugu) in 2012. She died of lung infection on 19 August 2006 at Vijayawada.[2]

Awards and recognition

In 2001, she was selected for the Basava Puraskar, conferred by the Karnataka Government. She is also the recipient of the G.D.Birla International Award for Humanism ; the Jamnalal Bajaj Award (1999);[3] the Janaki Devi Bajaj Award;[4] and the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University Award.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Saraswathi Gora selected for Basava Puraskar". The Hindu. 5 April 2001. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Saraswathi Gora passes away". The Hindu. 20 August 2006.
  3. ↑ "Jamnalal Bajaj Awards Archive". Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation.
  4. ↑ "Veteran freedom fighter Saraswathi Gora dies". Oneindia. 19 August 2006. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Hindu : Saraswathi Gora selected for Basava Puraskar". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.