TN activist calls for ending dowry practice

Tamil activist Chinna Pillai greeted women on International Women's Day and said that women face many challenges and hence need to stand up for themselves. Women are capable of excelling themselves in every field and this would definitely help the country develop in many frontiers.

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): On the occasion of International Women’s Day noted social activist Chinna Pillai has appealed to all women to take a pledge to eradicate the social evil of dowry. She says all the social evils can be effectively eradicated only when women engage themselves in a war against them.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had bowed down in respect and had touched her feet while bestowing her with the prestigious Stree Shakti Puraskar in 1999. The was honoured with the award for her relentless service to the empowerment of women.

She had initiated the micro-credit movement Kalanjiyam in the 1990s to help the women in the Madurai region. Hence, women who had faced problems in borrowing money benefitted from 'Kalanjiyam'. The women started saving their money and even used to lend amongst themselves under the Kalanjiyam organisation.

In lieu of International Women's Day, ETV Bharat caught up with Chinna Pillai in her tiny village of Pillucherri near Appan Thirupathi in the Madurai district.

The social activist has been working in the area to eradicate poverty, and engaged actively in rescuing the poor people from usury, anti-dowry movement, and worked effortlessly towards eradicating alcohol abuse.

Kalanjiyam has been working for the empowerment of women in 14 states. Women are facing various challenges. She says all the age-old social evils can be effectively eradicated only when women engage themselves in a war against them.