Researcher Dr R Vidyasagar holds that the north Arcot district is home to some of the most extensive bondage of child beedi rollers in the country. Of the 150,000 beedi workers in the district ...

"If beedi rolling is stopped, our heartbeats will also stop," stated a woman beedi roller in Sagar, highlighting the crucial role this industry plays in the lives of countless families. The income ...

It may be noted that several beedi rollers of the two districts also suffer from cancer, and have been seeking alternative employment opportunities.

From beedi workers in Madhya Pradesh to tea garden labourers in Bengal and fisherfolk in Tamil Nadu, three grassroots leaders ...