{{Short description|Indian Hindu guru (born 1965)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | birth_name = Sukhvinder Kaur | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1965|4|4}}<ref name="DNA_who_2015"/> | birth_place = Gurdaspur district, Punjab, India | organization = Shri Radhe Guru Maa Charitable Trust | website = {{url|radhemaa.com}} }} '''Sukhvinder Kaur''' (born 4 April 1965), better known as '''Radhe Maa''', is an Indian guru and godwoman.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-10-05|title=From tailor to controversial 'godwoman': 10 things to know about Radhe Maa|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/from-tailor-to-controversial-godwoman-10-things-to-know-about-radhe-maa/story-tst3CbRQWgM711EzyCjnjI.html|access-date=2020-08-14|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> She has been involved with families in Mukerian, Mumbai, Delhi, Haryana and abroad. She made her television debut as a guest on Bigg Boss 14.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Torkham |first=Sulabha |date=2020-09-29 |title=Controversial godwoman Radhe Maa to enter Bigg Boss 14 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/reality-tv/story/controversial-godwoman-radhe-maa-to-enter-bigg-boss-14-1726711-2020-09-29 |access-date=2025-11-26 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life == Sukhvinder Kaur was born in Dorangala village, Gurdaspur district in Punjab.<ref name="DNA_who_2015">{{cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-who-is-radhe-maa-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-god-woman-2111688 |title=Who is Radhe Maa? Everything you wanted to know about the 'god-woman' |newspaper=DNA |date=2015-08-06 }}</ref> Her followers state that she was drawn to spirituality as a child, and spent a lot of time at the Kali temple in her village.<ref name="DNA_who_2015"/> However, according to people of her village, she did not show any spiritual leanings as a child. Kaur studied till the 4th standard.<ref name="MM_how_2015">{{cite news |url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/How-Sukhwinder-Kaur-became-Radhe-Maa/articleshow/48383809.cms |title=How Sukhwinder Kaur became Radhe Maa |author=Gagandeep Dhillon |newspaper=Mumbai Mirror |date=2015-08-07 }}</ref>
== As a spiritual leader == During her early years in Mumbai, Kaur used to frequently travel back to Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala in Punjab for ''satsang''. Later she started giving out money to poor for gaining more followers in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The many devotions of India |url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/radhe-maa-asaram-ramdev-sadhguru-godmen-gurus-superstition-blind-faith-5864 |access-date=2025-11-26 |website=www.dailyo.in |language=en}}</ref>
A lot of veteran Bollywood and TV actors are also reported to be ''bhakt'' (devotees) of Kaur.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Radhe-Maa-and-her-small-screen-connection/photostory/48748256.cms|title=Radhe Maa and her small screen connection|newspaper=The Times of India |date=31 August 2015 }}</ref>
Bollywood film director Subhash Ghai visited her to take her blessings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/bollywood-celebrities-and-their-spiritual-gurus/16478168 | title=Subhash Ghai visits Radhe Maa to take her blessings| date=24 August 2015}}</ref>
In December 2017, Kaur was declared a "fraud" by Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, an organisation of Hindu Sants (saints) and Sadhus (ascetics) in India.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Apex body of sadhus releases 2nd list of fake godmen – Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/apex-body-of-sadhus-releases-2nd-list-of-fake-godmen/articleshow/62299603.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615144958/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/apex-body-of-sadhus-releases-2nd-list-of-fake-godmen/articleshow/62299603.cms |archive-date=15 June 2018 |access-date=11 April 2018 |work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Sources of authority within the Hindu tradition, and their impact on wider society - RE:ONLINE |url=https://www.reonline.org.uk/knowledge/hindu-worldview-traditions/sources-of-authority/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206151128/https://www.reonline.org.uk/knowledge/hindu-worldview-traditions/sources-of-authority/ |archive-date=2023-12-06 |access-date= |work=RE:ONLINE |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Legal issues and controversies == In 2015, a woman named Niki Gupta filed a complaint alleging that Kaur had instigated her in-laws to harass her for dowry; in response, Kaur was granted anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court, which directed her to cooperate with Kandivali police during the investigation.
In 2016, Kandivali police submitted a charge sheet in that dowry harassment case but omitted Kaur's name, citing lack of evidence.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 July 2016 |title=Radhe Maa not named as accused in dowry harassment case |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/050716/radhe-maa-not-named-as-accused-in-dowry-harassment-case.html |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref>
In April 2017, the Bombay High Court asked the police to record the complainant's statement and reevaluate the probe.<ref>{{cite news |date=12 April 2017 |title=Dowry case: HC tells police to record statement against Radhe Maa |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/dowry-case-hc-tells-police-to-record-statement-against-radhe-maa-398971 |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=The Tribune}}</ref>
In 2023, a sessions court rejected Kaur's plea to quash a defamation suit filed by Gupta, in which Gupta claimed that Kaur's remarks in a television interview had defamed her.<ref>{{cite news |date=20 July 2023 |title=Sessions court rejects relief to Radhe Maa in defamation case filed by Borivali resident Nikki Gupta |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/sessions-court-rejects-relief-to-radhe-maa-in-defamation-case-filed-by-borivali-resident-nikki-gupta-101689880833078.html |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maa, Radhe}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Hindu religious leaders Category:People from Punjab, India