https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Sumani_JhodiaSumani Jhodia - Revision history2026-10-28T13:36:02ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sumani_Jhodia&diff=538165&oldid=prevMarinazhg: starting a entry w/ infobox2025-12-30T17:41:14Z<p>starting a entry w/ infobox</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian tribal activist from Odisha}}<br />
{{BLP sources|date=December 2024}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Sumani Jhodia<br />
| birth_place = Rayagada, Odisha, India<br />
| known_for = Tribal rights activism<br />
}}<br />
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'''Sumani Jhodia''' is an Indian tribal activist hailing from [[Rayagada district]] of [[Odisha]] best known for campaigning against the sale of liquor in tribal areas, advocating for tribal rights over minor forest produce, and opposing government policies that lease tribal land to private companies for industrial projects.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Network |first=Post News |date=2018-11-26 |title=Woman of substance - OrissaPOST |url=https://www.orissapost.com/woman-of-substance/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1995, [[Biju Patnaik]], then Chief Minister of Odisha, appointed her as one of the unofficial advisors on sustainable development, literacy, and the poverty-alleviation programmes.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Women Empowerment and Biju Patnaik | url=https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2016/Feb-Mar/engpdf/133-135.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204152608/https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2016/Feb-Mar/engpdf/133-135.pdf | archive-date=2024-12-04}}</ref> Sumani was honoured with 2003 Rani Gaidinliu Zeiliang Stree Shakti Award (predecessor of the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]]) by the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-03-26 |title=Unsung women of substance get recognition |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/unsung-women-of-substance-get-recognition/articleshow/41490152.cms |access-date=2024-12-03 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><br />
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== Early life and education ==<br />
Sumani Jhodia was born in the Siriguda village in [[Rayagada]], Odisha. Her family is part of [[List of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha|Jhodia Paroja]], a tribal community with a population of 50,000 living across 85 Indian villages, particularly in the [[Kashipur, Rayagada|Kashipur]] block of the Rayagada district. Primarily a forest-dwelling community, Jhodias make a living by collecting forest produce, practicing ''podu chasa'' (or [[shifting cultivation]]), and engaging in various forms of daily-wage labour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transition from Ethnic Group to Ethnic Identity |url=https://www.etribaltribune.com/index.php/volume-5/mv5i2/transition-from-ethnic-group-to-ethnic-identity |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=www.etribaltribune.com}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><br />
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Sumani's father, Ravi Jhodia, encouraged her to attend school, but she dropped out after six months due to the nearest school being three kilometres away. By 17, she was married and had her first child. At the time, Ramdhar Jhodia was considered to be the most literate man in her village, having studied till Class 9 (or [[middle school]]). He worked as a night schoolteacher with Agragamee, a local [[non-governmental organization]]. The village elders persuaded Sumani to enrol at Agragamee, where she learned to read and write. She also attended Agragamee's leadership development programme that made her aware of the exploitation her tribal community were being subjected to.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sumoni Jhodia - Civil Society Magazine |url=https://www.civilsocietyonline.com/mega-hall-of-fame/sumoni-jhodia/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=www.civilsocietyonline.com}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=2023-08-04 |title=Jhodias meet MP, demand tribal status |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/jhodias-meet-mp-demand-tribal-status/articleshow/102409623.cms |access-date=2024-12-03 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><br />
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== Activism ==<br />
Sumani and her team of advisors faced opposition from local liquor barons, and local goons for their efforts. Aundhari Majhi, one of the women with special policing powers, filed a police complaint against Rati Majhi, the owner of one of the local breweries, for threatening her. Sumani mobilised 5000 women from the [[Kashipur, Rayagada|Kashipur]] block to surround the police station until Majhi was rounded up.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024|reason=source needed to verify}} As many as eight criminal cases were filed against Sumani during this time. She, alongside a group of tribal women, was attacked by an axe-wielding man on her way back from Mandibisi. He was kept in policy custody for four days after the women filed a formal complaint against him.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Network |first=Post News |date=2018-11-26 |title=Woman of substance - OrissaPOST |url=https://www.orissapost.com/woman-of-substance/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
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== References ==<br />
<references /><br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jhodia, Sumani}}<br />
[[Category:Indian activists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women activists]]<br />
[[Category:Indigenous activists of Asia]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]</div>Marinazhg