12 Facts About Kalavati Devi

Kalavati Devi was born on c 1965 and is an Indian mason who became a toilet builder in Kanpur.

Kalavati Devi transformed her own community by installing a 50-seat toilet and then moved to other communities.

Kalavati Devi has helped build 4,000 toilets improving the lot particularly for women and children.

Kalavati Devi came to Raja purwa near j k temple Kanpur when she was 14 to marry Jairaj Singh who was 18.

Kalavati Devi said it was a "living hell" and that she intended to improve the cleanliness of her area.

Kalavati Devi's husband was supportive and, when she decided that she was going to build toilets in her area, he went with her to meet Shramik Bharti.

Kalavati Devi tried, and she did raise a good sum and more importantly enthusiasm for the idea.

Kalavati Devi had found her role, but she wanted to do more than fund raise and organise so she decided to become a mason and Shramik Bharti found funds to assist her training.

Kalavati Devi offered to help and persuaded WaterAid to help fund some toilets.

Kalavati Devi was one of what the Prime Minister nicknamed the "magnificent seven" who tweeted in his name that day.

Kalavati Devi's work was recognised when the President Ram Nath Kovind awarded her one of twelve Nari Shakti Puraskar awards.

Kalavati Devi won the award as a woman mason building toilets.