->Filedelinkerbot: Bot: Removing c:File:Trupti Desai in Bigg Boss.jpg (en). Deleted by Minorax (per Commons:Commons:Deletion requests/Files uploaded by Nikita Bhamidipati).

2021-12-20T09:49:25Z

Bot: Removing c:File:Trupti Desai in Bigg Boss.jpg (en). Deleted by Minorax (per Commons:Commons:Deletion requests/Files uploaded by Nikita Bhamidipati).

New page

{{Short description|Indian activist for women's rights}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Trupti Desai
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|12|12}}
| birth_place = [[Nipani]], [[Karnataka]]
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Social activist]]
| years_active =
| known_for = Founder the [[Bhumata Brigade]] & Bhumata Foundation
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{marriage|Prashant Desai|2006}}
| children = 1
}}

'''Trupti Desai''' (born 1985) is an Indian social activist and the founder of the [[Bhumata Brigade]] & Bhumata Foundation, a Pune-based organization. Desai has campaigned for allowing women to religious places like the [[Shani Shingnapur|Shani Shingnapur Temple]], the [[Haji Ali Dargah]], the [[Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur|Mahalakshmi Temple]], and the [[Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple]], all in [[Maharashtra]], and most recently the [[Sabarimala]] temple in Kerala. In 2012, she was an [[Indian National Congress]] candidate for the [[Pune Municipal Corporation]] elections.

==Personal life==
Desai was born in [[Nipani|Nipani taluka]] in the Indian state of [[Karnataka]] on December 12, 1985.<ref name="theminute">{{Cite news|title=Meet Bhumata Brigade's Trupti Desai: Devout Hindu, aggressive activist|url=http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/meet-bhumata-brigades-trupti-desai-devout-hindu-aggressive-activist-38331 |date=30 January 2016 |accessdate=3 May 2016 |work=The News Minute |author=Goyal, Prateek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biographia.co.in/trupti-desai/|title=Trupti Desai Wiki-Age-Height-Husband-Controversies and More|last=Biographia|date=2018-10-24|website=Biographia|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-16}}</ref> Her father left the family for an [[ashram]] and she was raised with her two siblings by her mother.<ref name="nytimesApr2016" /> She studied home science at the [[SNDT Pune campus|Pune campus]] of [[SNDT Women's University|Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women's University]] but discontinued after first year due to family problems.<ref name=zeeJan262016>{{Cite news|title=Shani Shingnapur temple entry ban row: Who is Bhumata Ranragini Brigade's chief Trupti Desai?|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/shani-shingnapur-temple-entry-ban-row-meet-bhumata-ranragini-brigade-chief-trupti-desai-who-is-leading-protest_1849352.html |work=[[Zee News]] |date=26 January 2016 |accessdate=3 May 2016}}</ref>

Desai has been married since 2006 and has one son. Her husband Prashant claims that she is "extremely spiritual" and is follower of [[Gagangiri Maharaj]] of [[Kolhapur]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boomlive.in/janam-tv-peddles-fake-news-of-trupti-desai-converting-to-christianity/|title=Janam TV Peddles Fake News Of Trupti Desai Converting To Christianity {{!}} BOOM|last=Alexander|first=Sneha|date=2018-11-17|website=boomlive.in|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref>

== Activities ==
In 2003, Desai was a social worker with Krantiveer Jhopdi Vikas Sangh to help rehabilitate slum dwellers.<ref name="theminute"/> From 2007 to 2009, Desai staged protests against the financial irregularities at the [[Ajit Cooperative Bank]] involving a fraud of {{INRConvert|50|c}}. In January 2009, she led a group against then deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra [[Ajit Pawar]]. An arrest warrant was issued against her in 2013 for heading the group that allegedly "slapped the effigy of Pawar, used abusive language and held an illegal agitation despite prohibitory orders".<ref name="PuneMirror3Oct13" /> Desai was immediately released on bail, claiming that the arrest was just a tactic to stop activists from protesting.<ref name="PuneMirror3Oct13">{{cite web | url=http://www.punemirror.in/pune/cover-story/Activist-gets-arrest-warrant-4-5-years-after-FIR-is-filed/articleshow/31230034.cms | title=Activist gets arrest warrant 4.5 years after FIR is filed | work=Pune Mirror | date=3 October 2013 | accessdate=3 May 2016 | author=Chavan, Vijay}}</ref> She founded the [[Bhumata Brigade]] on 27 September 2010. Since its founding, the brigade has grown from 400 to 5,000 registered members {{as of|January 2016|lc=y}}.<ref name="theminute"/> In 2011, she also participated in the [[2011 Indian anti-corruption movement|anti-corruption movement]].<ref name="HT29Jan16">{{cite web | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/trupti-desai-the-woman-behind-shani-shingnapur-protest/story-B2UdlEBqhRjReldYOL6OeP.html | title=Trupti Desai: The woman spearheading Shani Shingnapur protest | work=[[Hindustan Times]] | date=29 January 2016 | accessdate=3 May 2016 | author=Joshi, Yogesh}}</ref> She contested the 2012 elections for the [[Pune Municipal Corporation]] from Balaji Nagar ward as a member of [[Indian National Congress]]; but lost.<ref name="HT29Jan16"/>

=== Religious places ===
In November 2015, a woman entered the Hindu shrine of [[Shani Shingnapur|Shani Shingnapur Temple]], where women were not allowed. The priests of the temple suspended the security guard on duty at the time and carried out a cleansing ceremony of the idol. This agitated Desai, who along with other members of her brigade staged various forced entries into the shrine. The state government and the district level court of Pune directed the temple officials to allow women in the shrine based on their constitutional rights. On 8 April 2016, the day celebrated as [[Gudi Padwa]]—the new year day of the Maharashtrian calendar—Desai along with other female members of the Brigade entered the shrine of Shani Shingnapur Temple.<ref name="nytimesApr2016">{{Cite news|first1=Geeta |last1=Anand |first2=Suhasini|last2=Raj |title=Forging a Path for Women, Deep Into India's Sacred Shrines |date=29 April 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/world/asia/forging-a-path-for-women-deep-into-indias-sacred-shrines.html?ref=world&_r=0 |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=4 May 2016}}</ref>

Post Shingnapur entry, Desai reached the [[Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur|Mahalakshmi Temple]] in [[Kolhapur]] where the temple management committee allowed her entry but the priests became violent against her.<ref name="nytimesApr2016" /> Five priests were arrested for attacking Desai and the protestors.<ref name="TOIApr2016">{{cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/5-priests-among-7-booked-for-assaulting-Trupti-Desai/articleshow/51862127.cms | title=5 priests among 7 booked for assaulting Trupti Desai | work=Times of India | date=17 April 2016 | accessdate=26 May 2016 | author=Waghmode, Vivek}}</ref> She also entered the inner sanctum of the [[Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple]] near [[Nashik]] where she was peacefully escorted by the police, but only with wet clothes similar to how the temple allows men.<ref name="nytimesApr2016" />

In April 2016, she made an attempt to enter the [[Haji Ali Dargah]] in Mumbai; however, an angry mob made it unsuccessful. Desai claimed that she received a death threat if she again tried to enter the [[dargah]]—a type of Islamic shrine.<ref name="Huff29Apr16">{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/04/29/haji-ali-dargah-trupti-desai_n_9803834.html |title= Trupti Desai Claims There's A Bounty Of ₹1 Lakh To Stop Her From Entering Haji Ali |author= Hebbar, Prajakta |date=29 April 2016 |accessdate=3 May 2016 |work=[[The Huffington Post]]}}</ref> On 12 May 2016, she made a second attempt and entered the mosque under tight security but not in the inner sanctum where women are not allowed.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Times of India|date=12 May 2016|accessdate=12 May 2016|title=Activist Trupti Desai enters Haji Ali, stops short of going into inner sanctum|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Rights-activist-Trupti-Desai-enters-Mumbais-Haji-Ali/articleshow/52231168.cms}}</ref>

In November 2018, she made an unsuccessful attempt to visit the [[Sabarimala]] temple in [[Kerala]] during the Mandalam-Makaravilakk pilgrim season. The temple had legal as well as religious restrictions that prevented the entry of women of menstruating age (approx. 10–50 years) since 1991 which was overturned through a verdict by the [[Supreme Court of India]] in October 2018. Even though a dozen women of menstruating age had attempted to visit the temple after the verdict came, all of them proved unsuccessful largely due to protests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/mobile/news/kerala/social-activist-trupti-desai-to-visit-sabarimala-during-mandalam-month-1.3286279|title=Social activist Trupti Desai to visit Sabarimala during Mandalam month|work=Mathrubhumi}}</ref> Desai was also blocked by protesters at [[Cochin International Airport]] on 16 November 2018, while on her journey to Sabarimala. She decided to return after getting stranded inside the airport for more than 14 hours and vowed to come back again. She did not.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/sabarimala-live-trupti-desai-to-return-to-pune-after-day-long-standoff-with-protesters-at-kochi-airport-1940755.html|title=Trupti Desai heads back home after protesters bloch her Sabarimala trek, says "will certainly return"|work=news18}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Trupti}}
[[Category:Indian civil rights activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian founders]]
[[Category:Women founders]]
[[Category:Indian women's rights activists]]
[[Category:Politicians from Pune]]
[[Category:People from Belagavi district]]
[[Category:Marathi politicians]]
[[Category:Maharashtra politicians]]
[[Category:Women in Maharashtra politics]]
[[Category:Activists from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Women activists]]
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Bigg Boss Marathi contestants]]

Trupti Desai - Revision history

->Filedelinkerbot: Bot: Removing c:File:Trupti Desai in Bigg Boss.jpg (en). Deleted by Minorax (per Commons:Commons:Deletion requests/Files uploaded by Nikita Bhamidipati).