Shanti Devi, an Odisha-based social worker, spent nearly six decades working for tribal communities, women and disadvantaged children. Born in Balasore district on 18 April 1934, she moved to the tribal region with her husband, doctor Ratan Das, after marrying at 17.
Inspired by Gandhian principles and Acharya Vinoba Bhave, she worked for education, healthcare and peace among underserved communities. She established an ashram in Gobarapalli, founded Seva Samaj in Gunupur in 1964 and supported people affected by leprosy. In Sankhalapadar village, she helped treat more than 4,000 people affected by Yaws, a neglected bacterial disease, and contributed to its eradication there. She received the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 2021. Devi died on 16 January 2022, aged 87.
A Life Dedicated To Tribal Welfare
Born into a landlord family in Balasore district, Shanti Devi began social work at an early age. She attended college for two years before marrying Ratan Das, a doctor who followed Gandhian ideology. The couple later moved to Koraput district, where she began working among tribal communities. Inspired by Acharya Vinoba Bhave, she participated in the Bhoodan Movement, which encouraged voluntary land donations for the landless. Her work focused on educating tribal girls and supporting destitute women and children.
In 1961, she became secretary of Utkal Navajeevan Mandal. She later established an ashram at Gobarapalli in Rayagada district and founded Seva Samaj in Gunupur in 1964. Through these initiatives, she sought to make education accessible to tribal girls and help them become self-reliant. Her work centred on understanding local needs and building support through community institutions.
Shanti Devi Ji will be remembered as a voice of the poor and underprivileged. She worked selflessly to remove suffering and create a healthier as well as just society. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and countless admirers. Om Shanti. https://t.co/66MLo73LUK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 17, 2022
Treating A Neglected Disease
A significant part of Shanti Devi’s work took place in Sankhalapadar village, where Yaws was endemic. Yaws is a chronic bacterial infection that can cause skin lesions and, if untreated, lead to disfigurement and disability. Devi worked with nine others to help people affected by the disease. Accounts of her work record that she helped treat more than 4,000 people, after which the disease was eradicated from the village. She also established an ashram for people affected by leprosy in Jabarguda, Rayagada district.
Alongside healthcare, she continued working for tribal girls’ education and the welfare of disadvantaged women. Her efforts also included promoting peace in Maoist-affected parts of Odisha. These initiatives reflected her broad approach to community welfare: improving health, expanding education and supporting people facing social and economic exclusion.
Her contribution received recognition through the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 2021. President Ram Nath Kovind presented her Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 9 November 2021. She also received the Radhanath Rath Peace Award.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Shanti Devi’s life shows how sustained grassroots commitment can address problems that are often overlooked. Her work to help people affected by Yaws, support those living with leprosy and expand education for tribal girls continued over decades.
It was rooted in dignity, care and self-reliance. Her efforts underline why healthcare and education must reach remote settlements, where distance and limited resources can deepen inequality. The Padma Shri recognised her contribution, but her legacy also lives in the people who received treatment and the girls who gained educational opportunities.
The Logical Indian believes lasting social change requires empathy, peaceful engagement and a willingness to work alongside communities. Remembering social workers such as Shanti Devi should encourage citizens and institutions to strengthen local efforts that protect health, promote education and uphold human dignity.
What more can communities, governments and individuals do to ensure people in remote areas have equal access to healthcare and education?
Also Read: How Bethala Veera Swami Supports 90,000 Children Across One Hundred Villages
