Honour killing survivor Kausalya Shankar becomes entrepreneur, wants to help other women
A survivor of the 2016 horrific honour killing case in Tamil Nadu in which her husband was hacked to death, Kausalya Shankar continues to speak up against caste-based violence. She recently turned entrepreneur and opened a salon, Zha, in Coimbatore.
In 2016, in a horrific caste of honour killing and caste-based violence, Shankar, a Dalit man, and his wife Kausalya, who belongs to the Thevar community, were attacked in broad daylight in Udumalpet town in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur district.
While Shankar died on the spot, Kausalya survived with severe injuries. CCTV footage of the gruesome incident, which later went viral, would bring to light a shocking case of honour killing initiated by Kausalya’s family and carried out by hired killers.
Shankar and Kausalya had met in college, fallen in love, and married against her family’s wishes.
And, despite a landmark judgement in 2017 that sentenced her father, along with five others to death, justice continued to be denied to her when the Madras High Court, in 2020 overturned the Sessions court verdict and acquitted her father and two others.
Kausalya’s fight is far from over. She is a fierce activist, raising her voice against caste-based violence and honour killing. She has also started a foundation in her husband’s name that works to uplift children from marginalised communities.
Now, a fierce follower of the teachings of BR Ambedkar and Periyar, she also learned to play the parai, and married Sakthi, a parai artist in a self-respect ceremony.
Sakthi is also an activist and is vocal against caste atrocities. “At one point, he was fired, but the decision was later reversed. I resigned from my job because I realised my duty was towards society,” Kausalya says.
The beauty business
Kausalya with actor Parvathy Thiruvothu at the opening of Zha salon
Kausalya recently left her government job to become an entrepreneur. She opened a beauty salon, Zha, in Vellalur, Coimbatore, which was inaugurated by actor Parvathy Thiruvothu a month ago.
“My government job did not allow me to be a full-time activist or engage in any form of social work. My main fight is against honour killing, and I had to take permission every time I had to speak to the media. It was becoming difficult. Some of my friends suggested I get into the beauty business as I always loved cosmetology,” she tells HerStory.
After completing a “beautician’s course’, Kausalya took a bank loan, pledged her jewels, and borrowed money from a friend to start Zha.
The salon, she says will be a “family-friendly one without separate services for women, men, and children”.
“We provide all beauty services, going beyond haircuts and styling. We also offer high-quality beauty products,” she says.
Apart from donating some proceeds of the business to social causes, Kausalya wants to encourage other survivors to start their own business.
“We are ready to offer franchises of our salon, the required training, and all the help required for them to stand on their own feet, and start a new life,” she says.
Kausalya’s fight against honour killing is a continuous one. She says it’s heartening that there is more awareness and conversations are happening, but there’s still some way to go.
“It all comes down to equality of the sexes. Parents should treat boys and girls equally from the time they are children. For this, parents should first understand how equality drives progress in society,” she says.
Kausalya uses every available forum and stage to talk about honour killing, and believes such cases need sensitisation at all levels, even among the police.
She is also seeking a law against honour killing in Tamil Nadu. “While there is an act in Rajasthan against this ghastly crime, I hope the DMK government will enforce one in the state too,” she says.
The many challenges in her path notwithstanding, her fight is unrelentless. The Shankar Social Justice Trust helps victims of caste violence, and has saved a lot of women from meeting a similar fate. It has given them safe places to stay when they have been opposed for marrying out of caste.
“My friends – followers of Periyar, Ambedkar, and Marx - are my family. They continue to support me at every step. We are not related by blood – but by cause – to do good for humanity,” Kausalya says.
(The story was updated to correct a typo)
Edited by Teja Lele