Oral History Interview : Naurati Devi

Content Description

Naurati Devi, a resident of Harmada village in Kishangarh Tehsil, Ajmer district, Rajasthan, was born into a Dalit family and had no access to formal education. She began working as a road labourer and came into prominence during the 1981 famine when she led workers in a campaign against wage discrimination, eventually winning a case in the Supreme Court. She later joined Social Work and Research Centre (SWRC), Tilonia, where she learnt digital literacy and computer skills, and went on to train others. Associated with the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), she participated in the Right to Information campaign and worked to raise awareness among rural women and youth. In 2010, she was elected sarpanch of Harmada village and served a five-year term, focusing on water, sanitation, housing, and fighting the alcohol mafia. She introduced computer use in the panchayat office and personally trained over 700 women and children in digital literacy. Remembered as a plain-speaking leader, she remains an important figure in grassroots empowerment in Rajasthan.

Condition Description

This oral history interview is recorded in WAV format and spans a total duration of 46 minutes and 10 seconds. The audio is clear, but there was significant external disturbance from traffic and others. The interview has been made into summary for reference.

Accession Date

2025-06-28

Disposition

The recording has been retained fully as part of the oral history collection due to its significant documentation of community narratives and underrepresented voices. No materials have been removed or reassigned from this accession. Consent forms have been signed by the interviewees and handed over to AMP.

Provenance

This interview was conducted and compiled by Surajit Sarkar in 2025. It was created by the PAST grantee AMP in order to document oral histories of AV technical staff from the Delhi region.

Retention Rule

This preserves the less heard voices of people involved in the Audio Visual world from 1970s to 2000. Digital files are being stored in an external Hard Disk HDD at AMP and on the google cloud. The digital files will be permanently housed at Archives at NCBS, with access governed by project policy. Copies will also be shared with the donor.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders of the finding aid.

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives at NCBS. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). See access guidelines for more information (https://archives.ncbs.res.in/access). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.