Ranchi farmer, E S'bhum's ‘Lady Tarzan' to attend I-Day dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan
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Ranchi: Two individuals from Jharkhand, a farmer from Ranchi's Bisa village, Ramdas Bedia, and Padma Shri award winner from East Singhbhum, Jamuna Tudu, popularly known as 'Lady Tarzan', will be among the attendees for the Independence Day dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 15, hosted by the President in New Delhi.
Ramdas Bedia, a 44-year-old farmer from the Angara block, earned the honour by completing his home under the PM Awas Yojana (rural) ahead of schedule, within just four months, while the scheme's timeline allowed for 12 months.
As a labourer and subsistence farmer, Bedia also benefited from MGNREGA, receiving Rs 18,000 alongside a Rs 1.2 lakh PMAY grant in March. The special invitation sparked celebrations across the village.
"When I opened the letter from the President's office, I was speechless with joy. I never expected this," Bedia said.
Angara BDO Jaipal Soy said, "Ramdas received Rs 1.20 lakh under PMAY-Gramin and other govt assistance. His determination to finish the house in just four months, far ahead of the 12-month target, shows how govt support can make a real difference when used with commitment."
Bedia added, "Once I got the funds, I didn't want to delay.
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I wanted my family to have a strong roof before the rain comes."
Meanwhile, 43-year-old environmental activist Jamuna Tudu from Chakulia has been similarly honoured. Since 1998, she has taken up initiatives from the grassroots to save Muturkham's forests, forming the Van Suraksha Samiti, and rallying village women against the timber mafia. Her lifelong stewardship of Jharkhand's wooded terrain earned her the Padma Shri in 2019.
The invitation to dine at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 15 marks another milestone for her conservation campaign.
Recalling her journey, Tudu said, "I grew up watching my father plant trees and teach the value of forests. When I came to Chakulia and saw the Muturkham forest neglected, I could not stay silent. In 1998, I gathered women from my village, and we formed a group to protect the trees. It was never easy, but the forest stands today because we refused to give up."
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