Sunanda Vasudev Tolbandi

The circumstances in which a person spends their childhood has a profound effect on their life. These situations later act as strengths and limitations for them. These circumstances also give them the momentum to move forward in life. Smt. Sunanda Vasudev Ji’s community too hailed from the same milieu. Thus, the realization of the community’s necessities was housed in her mind.

Sunanda Ji’s father passed away when she was in the fourth grade. Whereafter, she was brought up at her maternal home. Her maternal grandfather’s father was alive at that time and under his care, she spent her childhood. She reiterates that as his love and affection were more for the deprived communities, it also awakened similar emotions in her. After she got married in 1991, her husband was also concerned for the cause of the deprived community. In all her work, her husband noted that the condition of women and children in these communities was extremely miserable. Witnessing child-marriage, child-trafficking, etc., she determined the purpose of her life to cultivating awareness among these people. She has been doing social work since 1991.

Illiteracy thrives as a curse for the progress of any society. If self-reliance and economic strength are achieved, then the ability to make decisions develops. In order to make women self-sufficient, Sunanda Ji initiated efforts to make them self-reliant. For this, Sunanda Ji first attempted to strengthen the ‘Kushwaha community’. The main occupation of the Kushwaha community was wool spinning and weaving. Thus, she made the market available for them and also arranged for their training so that their business could be further developed. Today the community is being benefitted from this training. From 1995-98, Sunanda Ji worked for the sustenance of HIV victims. Working as co-coordinator in the South Indian AIDS Action Project, she worked for the relief and rehabilitation of trafficked children, orphans, street children and child beggars. Along with this, she worked for children who were addicted to drugs.

Working in Karnataka Kendra underdeveloped areas, Sunanda Ji organized programs for the development and awareness of the villagers living in the Bagalkot and Bijapur districts. For the development of slums in these districts, many types of schemes and aid organizations were operated.

In Sunanda Ji’s view, no such section of the society was to be spared which was deprived of its rights. Hence, from 2000 to 2003, she worked as a coordinator in the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society for the rehabilitation of sex workers and their health promotion. Identifying such pregnant women who were suffering from AIDS, worked for their health and prevention of infection.

She has also worked for the prevention of child marriage and worked in association with the ‘Child Marriage Committee’ constituted under the chairmanship of Justice Dr Shivraj Patil. Today, she is currently working as a district coordinator in a Central Government project, which is effectively working for child development.

Due to Sunanda Ji’s efforts, about 2250 child laborers have been rehabilitated so far. More than 1800 child marriages have been prevented. More than 370 families have been saved from family problems by counselling them. Relief work has been done to reconnect 250 child beggars with the mainstream. 270 sex workers have also been rehabilitated. The land donated to the ‘Ujwala Rural Development Service Society’ is being used for the subsistence and education of HIV-affected children. About 40 girls were saved from sexual exploitation with her help and the accused officer working in that hostel was arrested.

All these wonderful works done by Smt. Sunanda Vasudev Ji are going to bring change in society. With her dedication and special work, she has given a message to society that striding ahead with everyone is the main mantra of our culture. It’s only then that we can realize the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumb’. Evaluating all the work done by her, ‘Sant Eshwer Foundation’ has decided to honour her with the ‘Sant Eshwer Vishisht Seva Samman’ for the year 2019 for her work in the field of women and child development in rural areas.

Today, it is a matter of pride for us and for the entire nation to have Smt. Sunanda Vasudev Ji. Sunanda Ji had to pay a lot for these accomplishments. Many types of opposition had to be faced. Recently her house was also burnt but she did not give up.