She is one of the eminent social reformers from the Munda tribe in Odisha. She was born in Kainshi, a village in the Keonjhar district, and devoted her life to the cause of ending illiteracy among the tribals. She endured through the trials of illiteracy, which was nothing but social enslavement on her mind, and dedicated her life to the cause of education for underprivileged children. She became a hard-hitting voice-advocate for the tribal cause and the education of the underprivileged due to her continued activism on behalf of tribal areas. For her contributions to education in those areas, she received the Padma Shri award in 2001, establishing her as a leading transformative figure in education.

The life aspiration of Tulasi Munda is centered outside the purview of education for tribal children. She knew that illiteracy was a hindrance to social improvement, and she took it upon herself to change this. Her focus was on educating girls, as she believed literacy would empower the girls to stand against social evils. Tulasi's effort provided her community with awareness and access to education, imparting a possibility for future generations to have a better standard of living.

Tulasi Apa, meaning Sister Tulasi, attributes her service to her community in promoting education and upliftment. The title symbolizes an endearing educator and a mentor of thousands of children and families. Her determination was to teach and instruct every child personally and informally, with an easily accessible personality and unquestionable love, inspiring generations to respect learning and consider literacy as an avenue to better social status.

In 1964, from a single informal school set up in the open verandah, the movement initiated by Tulasi Munda spread out to establish formal schools in all tribal areas. Under her leadership, the Government established 17 schools, operating with primary and secondary education in poorly serviced areas. These schools serve as a means of assistance to the tribal children in studying to free themselves from the bondage of poverty.

This honor, awarded in 2001 in recognition of her untiring services against illiteracy among the impoverished tribal inhabitants of Odisha, accolades, and emphasizes even further the contributions of Tulasi Munda to social reform through education. The award, besides crowning her efforts, acknowledged her work in the training of more than 20,000 tribal children, thus sealing her name as an advocate for tribal literacy and empowerment.