Who Was Budhni Mejhan? Know About Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘Tribal Wife’ Who Passed Away At 80

Jharkhand: Budhni Mejhan, a woman from a tribe, passed away at her home near Panchet in Jharkhand on Friday (November 17) night. She was 80 years old when she breathed her last at her house. As per reports, she suffered a heart attack and was cremated on Sunday (November 20). She is now survived by her daughter Ratna (60) and grandson Bapi (35).

Local leaders and officials paid tribute to Budhni Mejhan

Local leaders and officials paid tribute to Budhni Mejhan. The head of Panchet Panchayat asked the Damodar Valley Corporation to build a memorial for her and requested a house and pension for her daughter. The Deputy chief engineer said that decisions about these requests need approval from higher authorities.

Budhni's life changed in 1959

Budhni's life changed in 1959 when Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, visited a village in West Bengal. Nehru gave her a garland during the inauguration of a dam, which, as per tribal customs, meant they were married. Because Nehru was not from her tribe, she faced rejection from her community.

Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to inaugurate the dam

Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to inaugurate the dam by the hands of someone who had worked in the construction of the dam. However, her community said that she was married to Nehru as garlands were exchanged between them during the inauguration on December 6, 1959. The Santhali community boycotted her after the incident as Nehru did not belonged to their tribe.

She lost her job in 1962 and struggled to survive

She lost her job in 1962 and struggled to survive. Later, she formed a relationship with Sudhir Datta and they had three children. In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi helped her regain her job. She got the job at the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) from where she retired.

She appealed to Rahul Gandhi for a house and a job for her daughter Ratna

In 2016, she appealed to Rahul Gandhi for a house and a job for her daughter Ratna. Another person who was part of the dam's inauguration said promises made by Nehru were not fulfilled. He chose not to recall Budhni's challenging experience.