Jari Mausi, National fame from Odisha’s Kendrapara passes away at 66

Kamala Maharana, fondly known as Jari Mausi, passed away at the age of 66 while undergoing treatment in Cuttack on Saturday night. Kamala had fallen accidentally a few days ago, sustaining a severe back injury at her residence in Kendrapara. She was first taken to Kendrapara hospital and later shifted to Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital, where she passed away.

Her son Mahendra Maharana shared, “Few days ago, when she was about to sit on a chair, it slipped. Following that, she fell down and injured her back. We then took her to Kendrapara hospital and later to Cuttack’s SCBMCH. However, her treatment apparently put too much pressure on her heart for the reason she passed away.”

Kamala Maharana rose to national recognition for her innovative efforts in preparing useful household items from discarded polythene. She was adept at making various items including mats, sitting sheets, baskets, bed mats, rugs, and pappad-drying baskets. Her work inspired many women from self-help groups to take up similar crafts using polythene.

For these environmentally conscious efforts, she was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his "Mann Ki Baat" address. During his visit to Kendrapara, the Prime Minister had even touched her feet as a mark of respect. Kamala had sent a handmade rakhi to him made of polythene on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

PM Modi touching feet of Jari Mausi in Kendrapara

BJP National VP and Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda took to his X to condole the demise of Kamala Maharana, known as 'Jari Mausi'. He wrote, “Kamala Maharana of Kendrapara was a unique symbol of women empowerment. Kamala Mausi inspired others to save the environment by recycling useless Jari from waste and making beautiful household items. For this great work of hers, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lauded her in #MannKiBaat and even  honoured her in a meeting in Kendrapara last year.”

ମହିଳା ସଶକ୍ତିକରଣର ଅନନ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତୀକ 'ଜରି ମାଉସୀ' ଭାବେ ଘରେ ଘରେ ପରିଚିତ କେନ୍ଦ୍ରାପଡ଼ାର ଶ୍ରୀମତୀ କମଳା ମହାରଣାଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଏବଂ ଗଭୀର ଭାବରେ ମର୍ମାହତ । ଅଳିଆରୁ ଅଦରକାରୀ ଜରି ସାଉଁଟି ପରିବେଶ ସୁରକ୍ଷା କରି #SwachhBharat ପାଇଁ ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରେରଣା ଦେବା ସହ ସେହି ଜରିରୁ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଘରୋଇ ଉପକରଣ… pic.twitter.com/M8HEGYug0q

— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) June 1, 2025

She again gained attention after Operation Sindoor’s success, when she sent polythene-made caps to the chiefs of the three armed forces.

Karunakar Sahoo, the Sarpanch’s representative, said, “Kamala Maharana was known throughout the country as PM Modi’s sister and the woman who created useful items out of polythene bags. Last night, she passed away over which we are completely devastated.”

Her passing has cast a shadow of mourning across the region. Her last rites will be conducted at the village cremation ground.