KOLAR: When he was just 18-years-old, Bezwada Wilson once locked himself up in a room in his house and wept for almost 20minutes because he was pained by the plight of civic workers and manual scavengers. That day, he pledged before his family members that he will take up a fight to eradicate manual scavenging, said Yesupatham, the elder brother of Bezwada Wilson, who was conferred the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award.
Wilson was hurt that civic workers, including his father Joseph and brother Yesupatham, were forced to do manual scavenging. He had even questioned his father and mother Rachel why only a particular community was forced to do the work and why the authorities had done nothing to improve their lot.
His first step on the long journey was submitting a memorandum to the now defunct Bharath Gold Mines Ltd (BGML) authorities appealing to the management to eradicate the manual scavenging in the mining colony where in his father was also working. The Telugu-speaking Bezwada Wilson had his primary education in Chellappa School at KGF and in neighbouring Kuppam (Andhra Pradesh). He also attended the First Grade College in KGF.
State Safai Karmachari Andolan (KFA) secretary Babulal and district secretary Immanuel said the interests of the people in need and those in trouble were always uppermost on Wilson’s mind. Through the KFA, he worked for the the welfare of civic workers -- like ensuring they get all government benefits - and also fought for justice.
Bezwada Wilson (41) dedicated his life for the uplift of civic workers (pourakarmikas). Although his family members, particulary his parents, wanted him to get married, he refused saying that marital life will come in his way, family sources said. Kolar Deputy Commissioner K V Thrilok Chandra, while congratulating Wilson on winning the award, said, “It is a pride matter of pride for the entire Kolar district .