Ruma Devi is a renowned traditional handicraft artisan and social activist. |
She was born in a rural village of Rajasthan lacking basic facilities like drinking water, transportation, and schools. |
Born into a poor joint family, Ruma faced early challenges, losing her mother at the young age of 5 and being raised by her paternal relatives. |
Despite dropping out of school in the 8th grade and marrying young, she found solace and income in embroidery learned from her grandmother. |
Through the 'Mahila Baal Vikas Group,' Ruma and 10 other women pooled money to buy a sewing machine and started making bags. |
With the guidance of Vikram Singh's NGO, they expanded to producing cushions, bags, garments, and bedsheets, eventually empowering 22,000 women in rural Rajasthan. |
In 1998, she founded the Self-Help Group- Gramin Vikas and Chetna Sansthan (GVCS) to uplift women artisans through handicrafts like Kantha stitch and embroidery. |
Recognized by the British Patchwork and Quilting Magazine, Ruma showcased her work in fashion weeks around the world and became the President of Gramin Vikas Evam Chetna Sansthan Barmer. |
Despite declining an offer from Anita Dongre to showcase her collection at Lakme Fashion Week in 2012 due to lack of confidence, she later exhibited at the event in 2015. |
Her life inspired the Bollywood movie Sui Dhaaga (2018), with actor Varun Dhawan purchasing items from her collection for his sisters. |
In 2018, she graced the cover of India Today Magazine for her exceptional work and contributions. |
Appearing on the 'Karmaveer' episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 11 in 2019 alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Ruma gifted a handcrafted piece to Amitabh Bachchan on the show. |