K.V. Rabiya, Kerala literacy activist and Padma Shri awardee, passes away
K.V. Rabiya, the Padma Shri-awarded literacy activist from Kerala who worked from a wheelchair after polio, died at Tirurangadi in Malappuram on 4 May 2025, aged 59.
Summary
K.V. Rabiya, the literacy activist known for her role in Kerala's literacy movement, died at Tirurangadi in Malappuram district on 4 May 2025, aged 59. Struck by polio at the age of 14 and confined to a wheelchair, she taught hundreds of people to read and write and founded the voluntary organisation Chalanam, which worked in education, women's empowerment and the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022. Her autobiography, Swapnangalkku Chirakukalundu, translates as 'Dreams Have Wings'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condoling her passing, said her pioneering work in improving literacy will always be remembered.
Key facts
- Died
- 4 May 2025, Tirurangadi, Malappuram (Kerala)
- Age
- 59
- Known for
- Literacy movement in Kerala
- Organisation
- Chalanam
- Honour
- Padma Shri, 2022
- Autobiography
- 'Dreams Have Wings' (Swapnangalkku Chirakukalundu)
Practice MCQs 2 questions
K.V. Rabiya, the Kerala literacy activist who died in May 2025, was conferred the Padma Shri in:
Show answer
Correct answer: D — 2022
She received the Padma Shri in 2022.
Consider the following statements about K.V. Rabiya: 1. She founded the voluntary organisation Chalanam. 2. Her autobiography's title translates as 'Dreams Have Wings'. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct, as reported by The Hindu and The New Indian Express.