Trupti Desai (born 1985) is an Indian social activist and the founder of the Bhumata Brigade & Bhumata Foundation, a Pune-based organization. Desai has campaigned for allowing women to religious places like the Shani Shingnapur Temple, the Haji Ali Dargah, the Mahalakshmi Temple, and the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, all in Maharashtra, and most recently the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. In 2012, she was an Indian National Congress candidate for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. In 2021, she participated in Bigg Boss Marathi 3 as a contestant and evicted on Day 49. Personal life Desai was born in Nipani taluka in the Indian state of Karnataka on December 12, 1985. Her father left the family for an ashram and she was raised with her two siblings by her mother. She studied home science at the Pune campus of Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women's University but discontinued after first year due to family problems. Desai has been married since 2006 and has one son. Her husband Prashant claims that she is "extremely spiritual" and is follower of Gagangiri Maharaj of Kolhapur. Activities In 2003, Desai was a social worker with Krantiveer Jhopdi Vikas Sangh to help rehabilitate slum dwellers. From 2007 to 2009, Desai staged protests against the financial irregularities at the Ajit Cooperative Bank involving a fraud of . In January 2009, she led a group against then deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. An arrest warrant was issued against her in 2013 for heading the group that allegedly "slapped the effigy of Pawar, used abusive language and held an illegal agitation despite prohibitory orders". Desai was immediately released on bail, claiming that the arrest was just a tactic to stop activists from protesting. She founded the Bhumata Brigade on 27 September 2010. Since its founding, the brigade has grown from 400 to 5,000 registered members . In 2011, she also participated in the anti-corruption movement. She contested the 2012 elections for the Pune Municipal Corporation from Balaji Nagar ward as a member of Indian National Congress; but lost. Religious places In November 2015, a woman entered the Hindu shrine of Shani Shingnapur Temple, where women were not allowed. The priests of the temple suspended the security guard on duty at the time and carried out a cleansing ceremony of the idol. This agitated Desai, who along with other members of her brigade staged various forced entries into the