Saraswathi Gora (28 September 1912 – 19 August 2006) was an Indian
social activist
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in Social change, social, Political campaign, political, economic or Natural environment, environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes i ...
who served as leader of the
Atheist Centre for many years, campaigning against
untouchability
Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...
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
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
's
ashram in
Sevagram
Sevagram (meaning "A town for/of service") is a town in the state of Maharashtra, India. It was the place of Mahatma Gandhi's ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948. After Sabarmati, Sevagram Ashram holds immense importance d ...
in 1944, where they stayed for two weeks.
Along with her husband, Saraswathi established the
Atheist Center in 1940. Their goal was to promote human values based on
atheism,
rationalism
In philosophy, rationalism is the epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge" or "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification".Lacey, A.R. (1996), ''A Dictionary of Philosophy ...
and
Gandhism
Gandhism is a body of ideas that describes the inspiration, vision, and the life work of M.K. Gandhi. It is particularly associated with his contributions to the idea of nonviolent resistance, sometimes also called civil resistance.
The term " ...
.
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
Vijayawada, formerly known as Bezawada, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and is a part of the state's Capital Region. It is the administrative headquarters of the NTR district. Its metropolitan region comprises N ...
.
Awards and recognition
In 2000, she was selected for the
Basava Puraskar, conferred by the
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
Government. She is also the recipient of the G. D. Birla International Award for Humanism; the
Jamnalal Bajaj Award
Jamnalal Bajaj Award is an Indian award, for promoting Gandhian values, community service and social development. Established in 1978, by the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation of Bajaj Group, it is given annually in four categories, and usually presente ...
(1999); the Janaki Devi Bajaj Award; and the Potti Sriramulu
Telugu University Award.
References
External links
A short biography of Saraswathi Gorain ''
Indian Skeptic'' by Sunanda Shet
Obituaryin ''
Deccan Herald
''Deccan Herald'' is an Indian English language daily newspaper published from the Indian state of Karnataka. It was founded by K. N. Guruswamy, a liquor businessman from Ballari and was launched on 17 June 1948. It is published by The Print ...
''
Obituary at www.newsfix.de
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gora, Saraswathi
1912 births
2006 deaths
Indian atheists
Indian sceptics
Telugu women writers
Telugu writers
Indian women activists
People from Vijayawada
Indian independence activists from Andhra Pradesh
Prisoners and detainees of British India
Women in Andhra Pradesh politics
Social workers
Writers from Andhra Pradesh
21st-century Indian women writers
20th-century Indian educational theorists
20th-century Indian women scientists
20th-century Indian social scientists
Indian women educational theorists
Women writers from Andhra Pradesh
Women scientists from Andhra Pradesh
Activists from Andhra Pradesh
Women Indian independence activists
Indian human rights activists
Social workers from Andhra Pradesh
Women educators from Andhra Pradesh
Educators from Andhra Pradesh
Writers from Vijayawada
Scientists from Vijayawada
21st-century Indian biographers
Women autobiographers
Indian autobiographers
Indian women non-fiction writers
20th-century women writers
20th-century women educators