>Tassedethe: Tassedethe moved page Laxmi Gautam (Professor) to Laxmi Gautam (professor): caps

2021-05-08T20:59:14Z

Tassedethe moved page Laxmi Gautam (Professor) to Laxmi Gautam (professor): caps

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{{short description|Indian academic (born 1963)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Laxmi Gautam
| image =
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| caption =
| other_names = Angel of Vrindavan
| birth_name =
| birth_date = c. 1963
| birth_place = [[Vrindavan]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| nationality = Indian
| education = Agra University
| occupation = academic
| employer = Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Vrindavan
| known_for =
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
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}}

'''Laxmi Gautam''' (born c. 1963) is an [[India]]n academic who devotes her time to looking after abandoned widows. She has been called the "Angel of Vrindavan". In 2015 she received the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]] in recognition of her work. She teaches at the
Institute of Oriental Philosophy in [[Vrindavan]].

== Life ==
Gautam was born about 1963 in Vrindavan.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2018-05-17|title=Committed to the welfare of Vrindavan widows|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/committed-to-the-welfare-of-vrindavan-widows/story-L9mZQ5ynSMNKxjm9470UZL.html|access-date=2020-07-01|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> She studied Hindi and history at Agra University and obtained her doctorate. She then went on to be an associate Professor at the [[Institute of Oriental Philosophy|Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Vrindavan]].<ref name=":0" />

At a young age she began to understand that the women in white with shaved heads were widows. Child brides could become widows before they were women and then spend the rest of their lives as widows lacking respect or an expectation of being fed or looked after.<ref name=":0" /> In 1995 she was a deputy mayor.<ref name=vrin/>

Gautam decided to do something about the plight of widows and she started<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dr. Laxmi Gautam {{!}} WEF {{!}} Women Economic Forum|url=https://www.wef.org.in/dr-laxmi-gautam/|access-date=2020-07-01|website=WEF|language=en}}</ref> an NGO foundation in 2013. Widows frequently die penniless and young widows become prostitutes to survive.<ref name=vrin/>

Gautam searches to find the bodies of abandoned widows.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Madhukalya|first=Amrita|date=2015-03-09|title=Angel of Vrindavan: Dr Laxmi Gautam gets Nari Shakti Puraskar for her dedication to widows' welfare|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-angel-of-vrindavan-dr-laxmi-gautam-gets-nari-shakti-puraskar-for-her-dedication-to-widows-welfare-2067109|access-date=2020-07-01|website=DNA India|language=en}}</ref> Their bodies can be eaten by animals but she sees that the bodies are collected and they are given a respectful cremation. She does not just care for the dead, but the foundation she founded cares for abandoned widows. She has had thirty-five widows living under her support. Her foundation has also provided legal and emotional support to victims of sexual abuse.<ref name=vrin>{{Cite web|last=Codingest|date=2018-06-06|title=Dr. Lakshmi Gautam helps sadhvi escape an endless cycle of abuse|url=https://vrindavantoday.in/dr-lakshmi-gautam-helps-sadhvi-escape-an-endless-cycle-of-abuse|access-date=2020-07-01|website=Vrindavan Today|language=en}}</ref>

In 2015 her work was recognised when she received the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]] award. The citation noted that she handled bodies that rotted for days and she had performed the last rites on 500 bodies. However the award was for looking after the dead and the living as she arranged food, drink and a blanket.<ref>{{Cite web|title=India's Ministry of Women, children and development|url=https://twitter.com/i/status/766250907851894784|access-date=2020-07-01|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Nari Shakti Puraskar}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gautam, Laxmi}}
[[Category:Indian academics]]
[[Category:Indian women academics]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1960s births]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]

Laxmi Gautam (professor) - Revision history

>Tassedethe: Tassedethe moved page Laxmi Gautam (Professor) to Laxmi Gautam (professor): caps