Channamma, a gravedigger-cum-body burial worker in Hanumanthapura Hindu Burial Ground at Srirampura in Bengaluru, took up the job after her husband’s death in 2000 to feed her four daughters.

Her husband Ganesh was a gravedigger at the Srirampura Burial Ground. She is digging graves and burying bodies since 13 years and has buried about 5,000 bodies.

After the death of her husband Ganesh, Channamma moved from her hometown in Kolar to Bengaluru and stayed at Saibaba Nagar in Srirampura, near the burial ground. After trying some odd jobs which could not fetch her enough for a living, she decided to take up her husband’s work and approached BBMP authorities, who were initially sceptical to assign her the job of a gravedigger. The BBMP Commissioner officially appointed her on Dec. 12, 2003.

Channamma, who was surprised to know that there was something known as International Women’s Day, says that her moment of celebration would come only when she gets her fourth daughter married and sees her settling down.