Odisha’s Eco-Warrior Jari Mausi Kamala Maharana Passes Away at 66

Her son, Mahendra Maharana, recounted the incident: “She was about to sit when the chair slipped. She fell and hurt her back. We took her to Kendrapara hospital and later shifted her to SCB Medical College in Cuttack. The strain of the treatment affected her heart, and we lost her,” he said with deep emotion.

Kamala was no ordinary woman. She gained national recognition for her unique eco-innovations — crafting household items like mats, baskets, bed sheets, and papad-drying trays out of discarded polythene. Her sustainable creativity empowered numerous women in self-help groups to embrace recycling as a livelihood.

Her work drew praise from none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who mentioned her in his Mann Ki Baat radio address. During a visit to Kendrapara, the Prime Minister touched her feet in a rare gesture of respect. On Raksha Bandhan, Kamala had sent him a rakhi made from recycled polythene — a symbol of their shared connection.

Tributes poured in following her demise. BJP National Vice-President and Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda wrote on X, “Kamala Maharana was a beacon of women’s empowerment. She turned waste into beauty, and her contribution to environmental conservation was priceless. PM Modi himself recognised her in Mann Ki Baat and honoured her last year.”

Kamala also made headlines for sending polythene-crafted caps to the heads of India’s armed forces following the success of Operation Sindoor. “The entire region mourns the loss of ‘PM Modi’s sister’,” said Karunakar Sahoo, a local leader. Her last rites will be performed at the village cremation ground.