Kailash Sharma, born on January 11, 1954, in the small town of Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, was the youngest of five siblings in a modest, middle-class family. His father, Ram Prasad Sharma, served as a head constable in the state police, and his mother, Chironjibai, was the moral compass of the family—a homemaker with a heart full of compassion.
Life in Vidisha was simple yet vibrant. Kailash grew up in a close-knit mohalla (neighborhood) where Hindus and Muslims coexisted peacefully, exchanging stories, meals, and traditions. This rich tapestry of cultural harmony shaped his worldview, teaching him the importance of unity and justice. His childhood was filled with observations that others might overlook—moments that quietly built his understanding of the injustices deeply embedded in society.
As a boy, Kailash wasn’t content with the world as it was. Even at five, he saw injustice that others overlooked. On his first day of school, dressed in crisp new clothes, he noticed a cobbler’s son polishing shoes outside the school gate. Why wasn’t he inside the classroom? Kailash couldn’t shake the image from his mind.
When Kailash asked his headmaster, the answer—that poverty and caste kept children like the cobbler’s son out of school—stung him. Determined to find answers, Kailash mustered the courage to quiz the child’s father the cobbler. Visibly shocked, the cobbler responded, "My father worked as a cobbler, I am a cobbler and my son is also a cobbler. There is nothing new in it. We are born to work.” The apparent disparity unnerved a very young Kailash, and when other kids were playing and enjoying life, he set off on a very different path. That day, young Kailash began a journey of questioning traditions, defying norms, and dreaming of a world where no child would be denied their childhood.
By age 11, Kailash was already a selfless problem solver. He noticed that many children dropped out of school because they couldn’t afford books or fees. Instead of simply sympathizing, Kailash acted. With the prize money he received from his family as a reward for scoring well in the final exams, he borrowed a handcart and went door to door collecting used books from neighbours. The response was overwhelming and upon Kailash’s suggestion, the headmaster of his school took up the responsibility to lend the books to students. Slowly, other schools joined in and a ‘Book Bank’ was formed. The initiative became so huge, that after some time, a public library had to take over the reins of the Book Bank.
Still, books were only part of the problem. Many children couldn’t pay school fees. Inspired by the bustling crowds at Vidisha’s annual Ramleela fair, Kailash came up with another plan. What if they could set up a tea and snack stall, use the profits to help pay for school fees? With the support of friends and the generosity of fair organizers, Kailash opened the stall. Crowds flocked to the stand, and the proceeds paid for dozens of children’s education. These early efforts showed young Kailash the power of collective action and innovative thinking.
At 15, Kailash encountered one of the most defining moments of his life. Deeply inspired by Gandhi’s teachings, he decided to honour him in a way that went beyond a mere ceremony. He resolved to challenge the oppressive caste system, which was a root cause of inequality against the people labelled “untouchables.”
He organized a community meal, asking women who cleaned toilets to cook a simple dish of khichdi and inviting politicians and upper-caste leaders to share the meal. To his disappointment, none of the invitees showed up. Instead, Kailash faced backlash from his own community. People from his caste accused him of defiling traditions and demanded he purify himself with Ganga water and perform rituals to appease their anger.
That’s when the defiant and hurt teenager, Kailash made a bold decision: he renounced his caste identity. Dropping his surname, Sharma, he adopted the name Satyarthi, meaning “seeker of truth,” a declaration of his rejection of all forms of discrimination. It was a personal revolution and the beginning of a lifelong mission.
Kailash’s activism flourished during his years at Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, where he pursued electrical engineering. Along with academics, Kailash took on the role of a leader, organizing student movements that fought for their rights. He formed a non-political student union that grew so popular it inspired similar groups in neighbouring colleges.
When India’s Emergency was declared on the night of June 25, 1975, civil liberties were suspended, and dissent was silenced. Kailash, inspired by Jayaprakash Narayan’s call for democratic resistance, supported the JP Movement with unwavering conviction. He dreamed of bringing Jayaprakash Narayan to his college to inspire fellow students. However, with police crackdowns intensifying, Kailash became a target. He was forced to go into hiding, moving between Bhopal and Delhi to evade arrest. These years of resistance shaped Kailash’s resolve to challenge oppression in all its forms.
After completing his education, Kailash briefly worked as a lecturer, but his heart was elsewhere. He left his stable career to start a magazine, Sangharsh Jaari Rahega (The Fight Must Go On ), in Delhi. The publication highlighted stories ignored by mainstream media, especially issues affecting children and women. It was through this work that Kailash found his calling and rescued a young girl named Sabo, who was about to be sold at a brothel. And thus began a lifelong journey of social reform.