Budhni Manjhiyain (1943-2023) was an Indian tribal woman. She was classified as the tribal wife of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He passed away in 2023 due to old age.
Wiki/Biography
Budhni Manjhiyain (also known as Budhini) was born in 1943.80 years old; At the time of death) in Jharkhand.
physical appearance
Height (approx.): 5 feet 4 inches
Hair Color: salt and pepper
Eye Color: black
family and class
Budhni was born into a family belonging to the Santhal tribe of Jharkhand.
parents and siblings
There is not much information about her parents and siblings.
husband and children
Budhni is married to Sudhir Dutta. He was a contract worker. The couple had a daughter named Ratna Dutta.
job
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)
Budhni Manjhiyain worked on Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) project in Jharkhand. The DVC project was India’s first multi-purpose project that focused on building dams, thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was described as “the noble manse of free India”. In 1959, when Budhni was 15, she was selected by the DVC to welcome then Prime Minister Nehru, who insisted that women should participate in the inauguration ceremony. On December 6, 1959, Prime Minister Nehru visited Dhanbad and constructed a dam on the river. During this incident, Budhni became the center of controversy and she was expelled from the village. In 1962, DVC dismissed her without giving any reason and she had to become a daily wage laborer in Purulia, West Bengal. In 1985, Budhni’s story came to the attention of Nehru’s grandson Rajiv Gandhi, who helped her get her job back at DVC. In an interview, her grandson Baapi Dutta said:
The center has received a lot of criticism over the treatment given to the grandmother. During his visit to West Bengal, the local MLA told the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi about his ordeal. This later led to her getting a job as a contract worker at DVC around 1985-86.
She continued to work at DVC until her retirement in 2005. After retiring, she insisted that her grandson be given a job at DVC, where he currently works.
controversy
“Marriage” with Jawaharlal Nehru
On December 6, 1959, Prime Minister Nehru visited Budhni’s hometown, Dhanbad, to work on the construction of a dam. Budhni, then 15 years old, was chosen to welcome Nehru. At the inauguration ceremony, she placed a tilaka (a red mark that Hindus wear on their foreheads) and a wreath on Nehru, and was surprised when Nehru placed a wreath around her neck as well. He also had her press a button on the power plant that started the dam.
15-year-old Budhni Manjhiyain opens a dam in Dhanbad with then Prime Minister Nehru.
When Budini returned to the village after the inauguration ceremony, the village chief told her that she had to leave the village because she had married someone outside the tribe. Budhni was part of the Santhal tribe, and as per custom, the two garlanded each other and were officially married. The Santal tribe strictly opposed marriages outside the tribe and expelled those who went against their customs. She tried to reason with the villagers and stay, but she became an outcast and received several death threats. She was forced to leave her hometown and live in Panchet, Jharkhand, with the help of a man named Sudhir Dutta.
death
Budhni Manjhiyain passed away on November 17, 2023, at the age of 80 due to ‘age-related complications’. After a long illness, she passed away with her daughter at her home (hut) in Panchet, Jharkhand, India. Commenting on her death, her grandson Baapi Dutta said:
What happened to my grandmother was very wrong, but I let it go… “My grandmother did not complain even in her last moments and was peaceful when she passed away.”
Budhni’s remains were kept in Dhanbad where several people paid homage to her.
Facts/Quiz
- Budhni said he wanted to return to his village in Manbhum district (now Jharkhand) but was never able to do so.
Budhni Manhiyain gets emotional during the interview.
- Budhni was labeled "Nehru’s tribal wife” in 2001 due to news reports covering her story. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was instrumental in her expulsion from the village, was completely unaware of the controversy.
- In 2012, The Hindu newspaper falsely reported that Budhni had passed away in 2011 at the age of 60.
- In 2021, author Sarah Joseph published the book “Budhini”, inspired by the life of Budhni Manjhiyain. Sarah researched Budhni’s life for several years before writing the book.
Budhni Manjhiyain (left) and Sarah Joseph, author of a book inspired by Budhni’s life.
