Championing girls' rights and education in Rural India

On International Day of the Girl Child, a change-maker from hinterland.

- TRINA CHAKRABARTI

When Suman Kumari was born 16 years ago in a remote forested village in the outskirts of Giridih, Jharkhand, there were not too many smiles around. The year was 2007, and like in several communities in rural India back then, the birth of a third daughter, after two in a row, was not deemed to be an occasion to rejoice. In one dark corner of a tiny room, Suman’s mother Chinta Devi lovingly cradled her newborn and said a silent prayer: let this daughter of hers grow up to live unlike hers.

Suman’s childhood did not turn out to be strikingly different, though. Enrolled in school, but never pressured to attend. Early training in household work, and made to do it dutifully, every single day.

Noticeable, however, was Suman’s mindset and thoughts. She went with her family to collect dhibra (mica pellets) from the nearby forest, but also made it a point to sit with her books in the evening. She did her household chores dutifully, but rarely missed classes in school.

Mother Chinta Devi had never been to school herself. At the tender age of 12-13, she was a “married” girl tending to household chores and waiting to bear children. 16 years on, as the 45-year-old mother of 5 watched her youngest daughter hurry to her morning class after finishing all chores, she would pray silently one more time: let Suman grow up to live a life of choice.