Karnataka: Daughter of former Devadasi clears IELTS, set to fly to England for PhD

Hosapete: A woman named Kamakshi, born into a Devadasi family in the village of Nagenahalli in the taluk, has cleared the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and secured eligibility for PhD studies at the University of Sussex in England.

She happens to be the first woman from a Devadasi family to be selected for higher education abroad under the state government's Social Welfare Department's  ‘Prabuddha’ scheme.

Challenging path

Kamakshi's path so far has been a challenging one. More than poverty, it was the constant question, "Who is your father," that caused her deep pain. She often faced embarrassment in school and college. Determined that others like her should not suffer the same, she made a vow to change things.

She studied in the Kannada medium from schooling to graduation.

Now, Kamakshi is set to leave for England in September. The department will bear the full cost of her four-year research programme.

“I studied in Kannada medium up to graduation. I worked with Sakhi Trust, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Hosapete, which strives to improve the living standards of Devadasis. I received support from the Trust's director, Bhagyalakshmi and member Nasreen. During that time, I met Rimi Tadu, a research student from Arunachal Pradesh who had come to Sakhi Trust from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, to study the lives of Devadasis. That connection helped me pursue a postgraduate degree at TISS. Currently, I work at ‘CreateNet’, an NGO in New Delhi,” said Kamakshi.

“The recurring question of whether I have a father or not has always haunted me. But the children of Devadasis should rise above it. Higher education makes such achievement possible," she expressed while noting that thousands of children from Devadasi families suffer from the painful label of not knowing who their father is.

"If these children can access higher education, they will be better equipped to overcome and eliminate the issues within their communities," she said.

Govt’s initiative for comprehensive rehabilitation

According to government statistics, there are 46,660 Devadasis in the state, with the highest number-- 8,191-- being in Vijayanagara district. However, continuous efforts are being made to ensure that all of them receive a pension, housing sites, homes, and access to bank loans.

The government has taken steps to conduct a fresh survey and provide comprehensive rehabilitation. The Karnataka Devadasi System Eradication Bill, which grants paternal rights to children of Devadasis, is also part of this initiative.

Anand Taali, Social Welfare Department Deputy Director noted that Kamakshi is an eligible candidate under the Prabuddha scheme. He said, "If she uses her higher education to work for the betterment of Devadasi communities, it will be a meaningful and worthy endeavour."