Crossed several hurdles, Miles to go............................

Dear all,

Some of you asked me to write a Profile based on my work. 

Please read my profile below.

Thanks & Regards,

Kalakuntla Marykumari Madiga
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Profile

My name is Kalakuntla Marykumari Madiga. I am a Hyderabad based social activist. I am married and blessed with one daughter and one son. My husband Mr Palaguda Srinivas Rao is a political activist.   

I was born on February 2, 1976 in a remote village Ragunata puram, Rajapet mandal of Nalgonda Distict in Telangana. I am the youngest daughter of five sisters and one brother.

I come from a poor dalit family. My father was a shoe-maker. I started earning and supporting my family since my school days. I have been relentlessly fighting the casteist and feudal forces from an early stage of my life. And, this fight still continues…….

I was interested in the student politics since school days. Hence, I got involved in the Dhandora (social change) movement at the age of 18 in the year 1994. In fact, I was one of the founder members of the Dhandora movement that started in mid-90s in Andhra Pradesh. The movement was being spearheaded under the banner of Madiga Reservation Porata Sammittee (MRPS) for the categorization of the reservation quota into A,B,C and D.

I was the state mahila president, M.R.P.S between 1994-1999 and worked hard to mobilize lakhs of Madigas - one of the two major sub-castes of Dalits in AP. After getting associated with MRPS between 1994-99, I along with a group of like-minded dalit activists decided to take a Padayatra. We took the Padayatra for 2,600 KM and interacted with the deprived sections to understand their problems. The Padayatra finally culminated in Guntur district and we joined Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the presence of late Shri Kanshi Ram Ji in 1999.

Due to the hectic involvement in the movement, I had to discontinue my studies after 12^th class. Later, I decided to do my graduation and currently I am at the final stage of completing degree.

I realized the importance of learning English and Computers to get connected with the outer world. Thus, I started learning both written and spoken English along with using internet medium. 

Some of my well wishers and my 16 years old daughter Anusha help me in learning English while my 9-year old BudhaVeer (who was named by Shri Kanshi Ram Ji) trains me in getting acquainted with the various modes of the internet medium like using Yahoo mail and Face Book.

I have my own blog – www.marymadiga.blogspot.com - where I have stored the details of my life time activism.  The pictures of various meetings and paper cuttings of the press coverage have been uploaded at the blog. I also take the help of this blog to express myself on various current issues concerning the deprived section and on the formation of a separate Telangana state.

The people of Andhra Pradesh specially the deprived section know me by my name because of my fight for the Dalit rights. I caught the attention of the state when I headed a team of five young  girls and stormed the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly demanding categorization of  scheduled  caste reservation into  A,B,C,D. Due to our protest inside the well of the Assembly shouting slogans against the then state government, the Assembly unanimously resolved to categorise the schedule caste reservations bill in 1997.

I faced lathi-charge on several occasions, was tortured in the police custody and put behind the bar for several months while fighting for the Dalit rights.

I along with others organized and led a padayatra in 1999 with a slogan to establish political power to the Bahujans which was started from Karmchedu and went through the Telangana districts and Rayalseema in four months. I write inspirational songs and sing to mobilize dalits. 

We organized a massive rally attended by 10,000 people to join BSP in the presence of Shri Kanshi Ramji at Guntur.

Currently, I am working on the atrocities against dalit women, youth and children in Telangana. My aim in life is to work for the empowerment of the Dalits and bring them to the mainstream of the state. I am actively participating in the Telangana movement also for the formation of a separate state.   

I often appear on TV for exclusive interviews and the newspapers quote me on various issues concerning Dalits, tribals, women and Telangana movement.

I appeal all of you to extend your whole-hearted support in all ways to carry my fight further for the deprived section and Telangana. You can contact me at my e-mail ID: mary_kumari95@yahoo.com

Regards,

Kalakuntla Marykumari Madiga
President
Telgangana Mahajena Mahila Samakya
Hyderabad
E-mail: mary_kumari95@yahoo.com
Blog: www.marymadiga.blogspot.com