Hyderabad: Purusula Pedda Lingamma, a Chenchu woman who was once a bonded labourer, has risen from a life of servitude to become sarpanch of Ramagiri village in Nagarkurnool district.Her journey — from a past where freedom was merely a “distant dream” to holding a public office — carries the weight of her painful experiences and a clear promise of meaningful change for her community.The 60-year-old was chosen to lead the village of 300 families after the sarpanch post was reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the Dec 14 polls. Six ward members were also elected. For Lingamma, this victory marks a journey few could have imagined years ago.Her memories of the past, however, remain raw. Freedom came only in 2016, when govt authorities identified bonded labour in the area and rescued her along with 106 others. Many of them, officials said, had been allegedly trapped in bonded labour for up to three decades. “All I can remember is that I was a bonded labourer with my family since my childhood,” Lingamma recalled.In Ramagiri and surrounding villages, as many as 44 Chenchu tribals were allegedly forced into bonded labour by three local businessmen who dominated the fishing trade. Paid meagre wages, driven into debt and compelled to work exclusively for their employers, they were made to repair fishing nets and fish only for them.“It was a hopeless situation for us, but some people who got to know of our situation pursued it with govt authorities to get us rescued,” said Kurumanna, Lingamma’s brother-in-law, who himself spent over a decade as a bonded labourer. Fear, he said, is now a thing of the past.After their release, the rescued workers came together to form an association of released labourers. Through the collective, they began rebuilding their lives, pushing for self-reliance and pursuing their issues with govt.In the forefrontLingamma emerged as a key voice. “I was at the forefront of taking up the issues of the Chenchu tribals with govt. Since I was working for everyone’s interest, the villagers of Ramagiri felt I should contest for the sarpanch’s post. I was also interested in taking up the responsibility,” she said.The contest, however, was not without strain and fight. Her younger brother also entered the fray, securing 91 votes, while Lingamma won with 133. “I was a bit disturbed, but I realised this happens in politics. I hold no grudge against anyone in my family or in the village. Through their votes, I was elected, and now it is my time to discharge my duties with greater responsibility,” she said.Even reaching Lingamma for a conversation underscored the challenges she faces. Poor connectivity in her part of the village meant she had to be escorted to a spot with network access to speak. For a woman who once lived without freedom, the signal, however faint, now carries her voice of leadership.
