Daya Bai Biography 
Daya Bai is a social activist and renowned social worker from Kerala who works for the welfare and uplift of tribal people in central India for more than 50 years. At present she lives in Barul village of Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Her real name is Mercy Mathew and belongs to a prosperous Christian family in Pala. Occasionally she comes to Kerala associated with social activities and for the protection of Kerala natural resources like Western Ghats. A nature lover, she supported and was involved in Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Chengara agitation apart from her several solo struggles.
She left home at the age of 16 to become a nun. But later she gave up her life to work for the welfare of tribal people and found satisfaction in it. Her speeches are really inspiring and she has led several campaigns across the country for some social cause, mostly related to the rights of tribes. She took great efforts in the empowerment of people in the interior Madhya Pradesh and has played a significant role in the improvement of life and culture of tribes. She also set up a school in the Barul village, where she is settled right now. She has also led agitations for forest dwellers of Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal, apart from her help to Bangladesh people during war time.
She has been honoured with Vanitha Woman of the Year award in 2007 by Vanitha Magazine and a documentary titled Ottayal was made by Shiny Jacob Benjamin. In 2015 December she was insulted and harassed by KSTRC bus authorities of an Aluva-Thrissur bus, seeing her costumes and ornaments, thinking that she is an adivasi (tribal woman). They didn’t believe that she is a social worker and was asked to get down of the bus. While she sat in anguish by road side, she narrated the story to a few people who uploaded her experience in Facebook and other social media groups triggering a public outcry. It caused huge uproar across social media of Kerala and became sensational news with several hot discussions. Later the bus driver and conductor were suspended for misbehaving with the award winning social activist.
Published: N/A
Updated: January 18, 2016
