From a Barefoot March Across 570 Villages to Empowering Women: Decoding ‘Badi Didi’ Dr Budhri Tati’s Four-Decade Journey to Padma Shri

Dantewada, Chhattisgarh: In the dense, Naxal-affected forests of South Bastar, where development has long struggled against isolation, conflict, and poverty, one woman’s quiet determination has lit a path of hope for thousands. Dr. Budhri Tati, affectionately known as “Badi Didi” (Elder Sister), has been conferred the Padma Shri 2026 for her extraordinary contribution to women’s empowerment, tribal upliftment, and social service.

Hailing from Hiranar village in Dantewada district, Tati belongs to a tribal family and lost her father at a young age. Raised amid limited access to education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure, she witnessed firsthand the vulnerabilities of the Mariya and Muria communities. Her own early education at a local ashram under a social reformer relative sparked a lifelong calling to serve her people.

A Barefoot March Across 570 Villages

Tati began her grassroots work in the mid-1980s, around 1984-1986, when external agencies often hesitated to enter the region due to rising conflict. Undeterred, she walked on foot across challenging forest terrains, reaching out to more than 570 remote tribal villages. Her mission focused on literacy campaigns, de-addiction programs, social awareness, maternal and child health, and promoting education, especially for girls.

Parents initially resisted sending children, particularly daughters, to school, as daily survival through forest produce and labor took precedence. Tati patiently engaged families, explaining how education could break cycles of exploitation and poverty. Recognizing the barriers of distance and dense forests, she established a residential hostel under the Maa Shankhini Mahila Utthan Sanstha, providing a safe space for first-generation learners. Many of these students have since become teachers, nurses, and government employees, creating a ripple effect of empowerment.

Empowering Women, Transforming Lives

Beyond education, Tati tackled economic dependence and social issues head-on. She mobilized women into self-help groups, offering training in sewing, stitching, handloom weaving, and indigenous crafts. Over 500 tribal women have gained financial independence through these initiatives, enabling them to support their families and participate more confidently in community decisions. Many of those she mentored now work as nurses, bringing modern healthcare awareness back to their villages.

She also ran campaigns against alcoholism and domestic violence, blending traditional community dialogue with practical awareness on health, hygiene, nutrition, and environmental protection. Tati combined indigenous herbal knowledge with basic modern sanitation practices to address high maternal and infant mortality rates in areas far from medical facilities.

Notably, she chose not to marry, viewing the thousands of children she educated and the women she supported as her true family. Her organization operates with minimal reliance on external funding, emphasizing self-reliance and community ownership.

Recognition and Humble Reflection

Previous honors from the Chhattisgarh government acknowledged her tireless service. On learning of the Padma Shri, Tati remained characteristically grounded. “It’s a proud moment for my tribal community,” she told reporters.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated her, highlighting how such work in remote Bastar regions brings pride to the state.

A Beacon of Grassroots Change

Dr Budhri Tati’s journey exemplifies how persistent, compassionate, on-the-ground action can drive social transformation in even the most challenging environments. In a region often defined by headlines of conflict, her story underscores the power of education, self-reliance, and sisterhood. As she receives the Padma Shri, “Badi Didi” stands as an inspiring reminder that real change often walks on dusty forest paths--one village, one woman, one child at a time.

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