The survey recommended announcing a special package for ex-Devadasi families for their rehabilitation. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
A survey of former Devadasi women in Karnataka has shown a nearly 50% drop in the number found in the state compared to the previous survey conducted in 2007-2008. While 46,660 women were identified as ex-devadasis in the 2007-2008 survey, the number dropped to 23,395 in the 2025 survey.
While activists working for the rights of former Devadasis have expressed skepticism about the numbers produced by the latest survey, officials say the declining numbers are due to deaths or those who have moved up the social ladder because they refused to participate in the survey.
Key recommendations of the report include that mention of father’s name should not be made mandatory on application forms in educational institutions and other places for children of former Devadasis. It also recommended announcing a special package for ex-Devadasi families for their rehabilitation.
Sources in the women and child development department said the upcoming budget might announce a special package for them.
The survey, which was conducted for a period of three-and-a-half months between September 15 and December 31, 2025, also identified 90,092 persons belonging to the first, second and third generation of former Devadasi families in Karnataka.
The survey focused on collecting details such as social status, education level, dependents information, employment details, ownership of agricultural land, skill training, health status, basic infrastructure and access to pension.
The survey was conducted in Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Chitradurga, Davangere, Shivamogga, Ballari and Vijayanagar districts.
Another recommendation
The report also recommends providing financial assistance for marriages of children from former Devadasi families and encouraging inter-caste marriages.
The report said that a special student scholarship should be announced for children belonging to erstwhile Devadasi families as a large number of them are from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes. He also said that special training should be provided to prepare children from erstwhile Devadasi families for competitive examinations.
She also recommended special training in agriculture and animal husbandry in addition to providing financial assistance for skill development. Medical assistance under various schemes has also been recommended to former Devadasis and their family members.
In a statement, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Lakshmi Hebbalkar said the survey was conducted to gather accurate information about the former Devadasi families and the government would take further action based on the recommendations.
Published – 10 Feb 2026 21:36 IST