Phoolan Devi

Phoolan Devi was born on 10 August 1963 in Gorha Ka Purwa village in Jalaun district, Uttar Pradesh, India. She belonged to the Mallah caste, which is a low-ranking caste in the Hindu hierarchy. Her family was poor and faced discrimination and oppression from the higher castes. She was married off at the age of eleven to a man who was much older than her and who abused her physically and sexually. She ran away from him and returned to her village, where she faced more humiliation and violence from her relatives and the police. She joined a gang of bandits when she was around sixteen years old. Some sources say that she was kidnapped by them, while others say that she willingly went with them. She became romantically involved with the leader of the gang, Vikram Mallah, who treated her with respect and taught her how to use weapons. She participated in several raids and robberies against the upper-caste landlords and villagers who had exploited and oppressed her community. She also took revenge on those who had harmed her personally, such as her abusive husband and a rival gang leader who had raped her. She became famous as the Bandit Queen, a fearless and charismatic leader who fought for justice and dignity for the lower castes. She also became infamous for her role in the Behmai massacre of 1981, in which she allegedly ordered the execution of twenty-two Thakur men in retaliation for her rape. She was wanted by the police for several crimes and had a bounty on her head. She surrendered to the authorities in 1983 after negotiating a deal that promised her a fair trial and a reduced sentence. She spent eleven years in prison without any conviction or trial. She was released in 1994 after the state government withdrew all charges against her. She claimed that she had been tortured and raped by the police and prison officials during her incarceration. She entered politics in 1996 as a member of the Samajwadi Party, a regional party that advocated for the rights of the lower castes and minorities. She contested and won the election for the Mirzapur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. She became a member of parliament and a vocal advocate for women's rights, social justice and peace. She lost her seat in 1998 but regained it in 1999. She was assassinated on 25 July 2001 by Sher Singh Rana, a man who claimed to have killed her to avenge the Behmai massacre and restore the honor of the Thakur community. He shot her multiple times outside her residence in New Delhi as she was getting into her car. She was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Her murder sparked outrage and protests across the country. She was cremated with full state honors in New Delhi. She is remembered as one of the most controversial and influential figures in Indian history, who challenged the oppressive caste system and patriarchal norms of Indian society. Her life story has inspired several books, films and documentaries, some of which have been criticized for distorting or sensationalizing her image. Her autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi, was published in 1996 and was translated into several languages. She also received many awards and honors, such as the Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1997 and the Harmony Award for Courage in 2000.