Tirurangadi (Malappuram District), KERALA :

In 2000, Rabiya was diagnosed with cancer, which she later overcame, after which she returned to social work.

In 2022, she was honoured with the Padma Shri for social work. (File Photo)

K V Rabiya, known for her prominent role in Kerala’s adult literacy programme, died at her home in Malappuram on Sunday. She was 59.

A native of Vellikakkad in Malappuram district, Rabiya fought against heavy odds and personal tragedies, right from childhood, to work relentlessly for the betterment of the differently abled and inspired thousands of women to enter the world of letters.

In 2022, she was honoured with Padma Shri for social work.

While still a school student, Rabiya contracted polio at the age of 12, which would eventually leave her paraplegic. Despite this, she completed her schooling and joined a college. However, she could not complete the degree course.

Rabiya then turned to books, reading everything from science to literature. Wheelchair-bound by then, Rabiya also started taking tuition classes for local children at a nominal fee.

It was by chance that Rabiya became a part of Kerala’s literacy movement, which began in the late 1980s. A college degree was a must for a literacy instructor. However, an instructor, who could not continue with the programme, sought Rabiya’s help. This marked the birth of a social worker and the beginning of her legacy.

She started teaching literacy classes in June 1990, and local elderly women and housewives were her students. She worked to convince women from orthodox families about the importance of education, and told them inspiring stories of world leaders and social reformers to get them interested in her classes.

When her number of students started swelling, Rabiya became a full-time literacy instructor. Later, she also established a library for women and became instrumental in the development of her locality, which did not have basic facilities such as roads and electricity, telephone, and water connections.

She eventually launched a voluntary organisation named Chalanam (movement), which also spearheaded literary programmes.

Her intervention was not limited to literacy alone. She started six schools for children with special needs and trained and empowered more than 250 women through a small-scale manufacturing unit. She was also at the forefront of the movement to create awareness against dowry and superstition. In later years, she was also actively involved in the e-literacy programme, Akshaya, in Malappuram.

In 2000, Rabiya was diagnosed with cancer, which she later overcame, after which she returned to social work.

In her autobiography, Swapnangalkku Chirakukalundu (Dreams Have Wings), Rabiya told the story of her inspiring life and how she chased her dreams. She also authored four other books, including the memoir, Mouna Nombarangal (Silent Pains). A documentary was also made on her life, titled Rabiya Moves.

She received several honours, including the Kannagi Devi Stree Shakti Puraskar, instituted by the Child Welfare Department of the Union government, in 2000. She also won the Youth Volunteer against Poverty award, jointly instituted by the Union Youth Affairs Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> India / by Shaju Philip, Thiruvananthapuram / May 05th, 2025