Kunwar Bai, Swachh Doot who sold goats to build toilet in her village, dies at 106

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 106-year-old mascot, Kunwar Bai died on Friday morning after suffering from a prolonged illness.

She breathed her last at Ambedkar Hospital in Raipur. According to hospital offcials she died around 10: 40 am. Bai was admitted in the hospital on the directions of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.

Singh expressed grief over her death and described her as ‘Swachhta Doot’  (messenger of cleanliness).

The 106-year-old woman became famous and won hearts of millions across the globe after Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated her for raising awareness about open defecation in Chhattisgarh’s hinterlands.

She came in news, last year when PM Modi during the launch of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission, he touched her feet to seek her blessing.

Bai determined to stop the ritual of open defecation in her family and village — Kotabharri village, sold off at least 10 goats she owned to build toilets.

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Kunwar Bai, who lived with her family in Dhamtari's Kotabharri village, was known for spreading awareness about the importance of using toilets in villagers.

According to Chhattisgarh government all houses in Bai’s village have toilets, earning the village title of ‘Open Defecation Free Status.’