The CNN-IBN honoured 12 senior citizens of India, including Tulasi Munda from Odisha, at the Senior Citizen Awards: The Unstoppables function in Mumbai.
Chief guest Amitabh Bachchan felicitated the winners for their inspirational endeavours.
It was noted at the ceremony that the story of Tulasi Munda, from an illiterate tribal girl born at the cusp of freedom to a woman leading the education revolution among tribals in Odisha, is an inspiration for all. She was 12 when she went to live with her sister in Serenda, 65 km away from her hometown, where she earned `2 from cutting stones and sifting iron from the waste. In her free time, she would try and teach herself the alphabet.
In 1961, her passion for learning catapulted her into the orbit of Gandhians like Malati Choudhury, Rama Devi and Nirmala Deshpande. She joined them and participated in their village forays across the country. She met Vinoba Bhave and was inspired by his vision to donate land and improve the lives of the poor.
In 1964, Munda returned to Serenda and started an evening school for tribal children. In the next 40 years, she helped establish 17 schools and succeeded in educating 20,000 boys and girls. Currently, her school that provides education up to Class 10 has over 500 students, half of them girls. She has received the Padma Shri for her work.