Sunita was born in a under privileged family, and due to financial problem she couldn’t continue her studies and got married at a very young age of 20 . Her in laws belonged to a class of people who didn’t believe in the “ bahu “ of the house to even step out to go to the market . She wasn’t allowed to even meet her parents.
However , life was going on with its own ups and downs . Sunita’s life was not an easy one by any means . At the age of 25, Sunita was already a mother to three children when her husband passed away due to the deadly Corona Virus . She had what she calls a “life-changing nervous breakdown.”
Her husband being the only earning member in the family , Sunita was at a loss what to do ! She never had stepped out of her house all her life ! And now she had 3 hungry children to feed with no money , no savings ! She didn’t lose hope , she was broken from inside but the sight of her children made her stand up. For the first time in her life , she stepped out on the road, met with people and with sheer hard work and zeal, reopened the family grocery store that was already running into losses . She knew that she had to find her way quickly and need to navigate the tricky waters and not only feed her children but also educate them . Uneducated as she was, Sunita had understood the value of education.
Now , as she narrates the story to us, Sunita runs the grocery shop , single handedly , sends her children to school and also looks after her parents and in laws.
She is the uncrowned queen matriarch, around whom the entire family revolved.
The story and life of this strong woman is a testament to the fact that ANYBODY, no matter what your circumstances are, can make a difference to the lives of themselves and their families We are sure that there are more strong willed women around us and we hope that the country will give birth to still more.
Here’s to all the strong, hardworking women working tirelessly behind the scenes; the mothers moulding the leaders of tomorrow, the farmers of our country, the defence forces protecting us while we sleep, the scientists putting India on the world map of accomplishments, the activists proactively crusading for the society, the bold people who dare to push the boundaries and everyone who is shaping the country’s future.
(As narrated by Ms Sunita Thakur to Ms Madhumallika Jha)
