Remembering Dwaimati Hantal: A beacon of women’s and adivasi resistance

By Harsh Thakor*

It is necessary to recall the grassroots heroes who have contributed immensely to people’s struggles and quietly shaped the history of resistance in India. One such inspiring figure happens to be , a senior member of the Malkangiri Zilla Adivasi Sangh (MZAS) and a member of a small Left group, going by the name of Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India. She passed away on January 16, 2025, at the age of 60, after battling diabetes for five years.

Born into a poor blacksmith family in , Hantal’s life was deeply intertwined with the collective struggles of the . Her association with the MZAS began around 1990, during the movement for drinking water. She soon emerged as a central figure in organizing women and mobilizing Adivasi communities in the Malkangiri region.

Hantal’s personal journey was marked by courage and conviction. After separating from her first husband, she dedicated herself fully to the Sangh at a time when it was undergoing reorganization and combating opportunistic trends. Working alongside women activists such as , , , and , she became part of a formidable team that led social campaigns and cultural initiatives—using songs and street plays to raise awareness against liquor consumption and social injustices.

One of her defining contributions was during the Padmagiri–Tulengudu timber struggle (1995–96), when the Sangh confronted the timber mafia and forest officials. This struggle became a landmark in building and a model of in the region.

Known for her quiet yet firm resolve, Hantal served as an organizer in the in for over two decades. Her work extended across numerous struggles—the movements for drinking water, forest land occupation, timber rights, the , and in . Through these campaigns, she helped deepen class consciousness and strengthen grassroots organization among Adivasi peasants.

Her most memorable leadership came during the drinking water movement of 1990–92, when villagers were suffering from and water-borne diseases. With remarkable courage, she led women’s teams to every village, organizing large gatherings and demonstrations at block and district headquarters to demand safe drinking water and adequate .

Dwaimati Hantal was known not only as a militant organizer but also for her warmth and humanity. She cared for her comrades when they were ill and often shielded them from threats by local goons. Her comrades affectionately called her “Nani”, or elder sister, for her protective and nurturing spirit.

Even after her personal hardships—including the breakup of her marriage—she never remarried, choosing instead to dedicate her entire life to the Sangh’s work. When many others withdrew under pressure or fatigue, she continued as a full-time activist with unwavering resolve.

She passed away at her sister’s home, and on January 28, 2025, a commemoration meeting was held by Sangh members to honor her memory and lifelong service.

Dwaimati Hantal’s life remains a testament to the resilience and courage of countless unnamed women and Adivasi leaders who have stood at the heart of people’s struggles—steadfast, compassionate, and unyielding in their pursuit of justice.

---

Freelance journalist

Comments

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

Dalit woman student’s death sparks allegations of institutional neglect in Himachal college

By A Representative A Dalit rights organisation has alleged severe caste- and gender-based institutional violence leading to the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman student at Government Degree College, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and has demanded arrests, resignations, and an independent inquiry into the case.

Domestic vote-bank politics 'behind official solidarity' with Bangladeshi Hindus

By Sandeep Pandey, Faisal Khan The Indian government has registered a protest with Bangladesh over the mob lynching of two Hindus—Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Amrit Mandal in Rajbari. In its communication, the government cited a report by the Association of Hindus, Buddhists and Christian Unity Council, which claims that more than 2,900 incidents of killings, arson, and land encroachments targeting minorities have taken place since the interim government assumed power in Bangladesh.

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

2025 was not just a bad year—it was a moral failure, it normalised crisis

By Atanu Roy* The clock has struck midnight. 2025 has passed, and 2026 has arrived. Firecrackers were already bursting in celebration. If this is merely a ritual, like Deepavali, there is little to comment on. Otherwise, I find 2025 to have been a dismal year, weighed down by relentless odds—perhaps the worst year I have personally witnessed.

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

Search This Blog