Chutni Devi

Chutni Devi, also known as Chhutni Mahato, is a tribal activist from Seraikela in Jharkhand who has rescued 125 women from witch-hunting. For her courage she is often called the “Tigress”. She was named for the Padma Shri in 2021 in the field of social work, from Jharkhand ^[1].

Branded a witch

She was born on 1 January 1961 and married in 1978 ^[2]. She suffered violence at home, and in 1995 her in-laws branded her a witch and threw her out with her four children ^[2]. A year later her husband left too, and she raised the children alone, in great hardship, and saw that they were well educated ^[2].

Helping others

Since then she has worked to end witch-hunting and to support its victims ^[2]. When she hears of a case, she goes straight to the scene, gives the woman food and shelter, and talks to her family to persuade them to take her back ^[2].

A documentary on her struggle was made in 1996, and a Hindi feature film based on her life, Kala Sach – The Dark Truth, came out in 2014 ^[2].