Episode 70 - Phoolan Devi

*** IMPORTANT NOTE: This episode’s Dead Lady had a very challenging existence, particularly when she was younger, and her story is marked by multiple incidents of violence and sexual abuse. Please use caution when listening ***

 

In this episode, we join forces with the Ms Informed podcast to bring you the story of Phoolan Devi.

 

Known as “India’s Bandit Queen,” Phoolan Devi overcame a life of poverty, illiteracy, and abuse, first as a child bride, and later enduring after being kidnapped by bandits and rising to lead the gang. She eventually became a politician, campaigning for women’s causes and the poor. Even today, Phoolan is a symbol for the anger, vengeance and injustice against women in India, as well as an inspiration for the lower classes. 

 

Madhvi Ramani and Rina Grob told her story at a recent live DLS show in Berlin. 

 

DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce this episode.

 

Find our more about Phoolan Devi’s amazing story on our episode page: https://deadladiesshow.com/podcast/2024/04/11/podcast-70-phoolan-devi

 

Discover the Ms Informed podcast wherever you like to listen, and here: https://pod.link/1509211076

 

As mentioned, Katy and Susan have done an interview with them which will appear on Ms Informed Episode 165

 

You can also follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_ms_informed/

 

Mentioned by Madhvi and Rina:

 

The Mann Deshi Foundation, a woman-founded charity that set up the first rural bank for women in India and helps women and girls in rural areas: https://manndeshifoundation.org/

 

Daughters of Destiny on Netflix, which follows five girls from the Dalit class, who enter Shanti Bhavan, a school that educates the poorest children in India so that they are given a chance in life and help their communities: https://www.netflix.com/title/80092926

 

The book The Furies: Three Women and their Fight for Justice by journalist and writer Elizabeth Flock: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-furies-elizabeth-flock

 

Their sources: 

 

I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India's Bandit Queen, by Phoolan Devi
India's Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi, by Mala Sen

Arundhati Roy on Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen

 

If you are interested in attending the upcoming Dead Ladies Show at the Droste Festival in Muenster, get more details on the event here: https://www.burg-huelshoff.de/en/programm/projekte/droste-festival-2024

 

And if you’d like to come see us in Berlin May 16th, buy tickets here: https://literatur-berlin.tickettoaster.de/produkte/3303-tickets-the-dead-ladies-show-36-lettretage-in-der-veteranenstr-berlin-am-16-05-2024

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