3000 Devadasis get aid from Infosys Foundation

Sudha Murthy, Infosys Foundation Chairperson, urges awareness is the only means to end Devadasi  system. Columnist T G S George launches Three Thousand Stitches, a book by Sudha Murthy. Infosys Foundation has eradicated Devadasi system in Raichur district.

Several social evils including Devadasi system are rampant in Indian society; the only way to eradicate them is to get the community organised and creating awareness said Dr Sudha Murthy, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, reported Kannada Prabha.

Senior journalist T J S George launched a book ‘Three Thousand Stitches’, about the lives of Devadasis, authored by Dr Sudha Murthy, published by Penguin India on Friday at the Institute of World Culture.  Speaking after the launch Dr Sudha Murthy interacted with the audience. She said Infosys Foundation has eradicated Devadasi system in Raichur district. However, such practices are prevailing in the entire country.  The government has implemented several schemes to stop such practices but they are not reaching the target communities. In some places there are no information about the project at all. At other places the projects are being misused. Hence there is a need to organise the community and create awareness in them about the evil practices, government facilities available and also NGOs to provide legal, financial help, she said.

Around 3000 Devadasis in Raichur district have been rehabilitated and are engaged in various professions. Their children have become doctors, lawyers, police and engineers. Sudha Murthy thanked her husband Narayana Murthy for supporting her in her efforts and said he never asked her how she spent the funds.  She said the money she got from her books has been used for charity.  Some people are never satisfied with wealth but we must have enough for us to lead a comfortable life and donate for causes, she said.

Answering a question she said she writes in both Kannada and English and does not let others translate her books.  To another question regarding her time management she said everybody gets only 24 hours and everybody must take time. She does not attend social functions like weddings and birthdays but use the time for writing.

She spoke highly of Abhay, who gave up his job to work full time at Infosys Foundation towards eradication of Devadasi system. When he was offered Rs10,000 salary, he said only Rs 6000 is sufficient she said. Sudha Murthy also gave credit to senior journalist T J S George and industrialist J R D Tata who encouraged her to write. This is her 16^th book in English. T J S George said everybody cannot become Sudha Murthy.