[3][4][5][6][7][8] Renu, eldest of her parents' three sons and five daughters, comes from the Noniya caste, an extremely backward Class (EBC) community.

[9] She completed secondary school education in 1977 from the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University.

[citation needed] She was married to a Kolkata-based insurance inspector named Durga Prasad in 1973.

[10] However, the sudden death of her husband within seven years of marriage made her return to Bettiah, her mother's hometown, and pursue it as her karmabhoomi.

[12] Renu Devi was also part of Durga Vahini, the women's wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.