Satyarthi, Kailash, 1954–, Indian children's rights activist, b. Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, as Kailash Sharma. Trained as an electrical engineer, he taught college until 1980 when he began devoting his life to children's rights, becoming secretary-general of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front and founding Bachpan Bachao Andolan [save the childhood movement]. Satyarthi has worked to end child slavery and exploitive child labor in India and worldwide, often freeing child slaves in India in raids. He also founded the Global March against Child Labor and cofounded and served as president (1999–2011) of the Global Campaign for Education. He and his colleagues have suffered sometimes brutal physical attacks, and their offices also have been ransacked, in retaliation for their work. In 2014 Satyarthi shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan for their work to protect children and secure them an education.
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