Chinna Pillai is a community leader from Pulliseri, a small village near

Madurai Madurai ( , , ), formerly known as Madura, is a major city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District, which is ...

, Tamil Nadu,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. She had started a very successful banking system in the villages of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, and has made many contributions to attempt to reduce poverty and debt grievances by empowering women. She made efforts in starting a savings unit among the women of the village of Pullucheri. Chinna Pillai is

illiterate Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...

and can only sign her name. She was recognized as a leader because of people find her negotiation skills effective. She bargained on behalf of workers and eventually the employers realized that there may be some benefit in paying higher wages.

Recognition

Chinna Pillai was one of five women to receive the Stree Shakti Puraskar in 1999. In a picture perfect moment for the press, then-Prime Minister

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian poet, writer and statesman who served as the prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 ...

bowed down in respect and touched her feet while presenting her with the award. She had received the

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

for her service in 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Chinna 1960s births Living people Indian microfinance people People from Madurai district Businesswomen from Tamil Nadu Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work 20th-century Indian businesswomen 20th-century Indian businesspeople Year of birth missing (living people)