On July 25, 2001, Phoolan Devi, pioneer of India's Dalit movement, passed away. At the young age of 37, she was a powerful advocate for social justice and a remarkable political leader. Devi was born in Gangoli village, in Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1963. As a young girl she was forced into a pre-arranged marriage and, in 1979, was abducted and raped by upper-caste bandits. After fleeing her captors in 1981, she joined lower caste Mallah bandits and rose to power amongst them, becoming a menacing symbol of lower-caste revolt in North India. She was arrested for over 30 charges of attempted murder, rioting, and kidnapping in 1983 and served 11 years in prison before she was released in 1994. Upon her release, she leveraged her leadership to become a powerful politician and advocate for India's Dalit and tribal communities, first as a Member of Parliament in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and later in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. Her courage and continued commitment to the betterment of the Dalit community will be remembered. Devi was inspirational, strong and dedicated to social justice. Her legacy will continue to be an inspiration to many.