ENDEAVOUR TO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Manish Dahiya Alliance Business School, Alliance University, Bangalore

Women empowerment has become a significant topic for discussion in regards to development of economies. Empowerment of women in the context of knowledge societies entails building up the abilities and skill of women to gain insight into the issue affecting them and also building their capacity to voice their concerns. Hence there a story about a brave lady who changed and transformed the lives of many by her gallant deed and has led an example for others to emulate. During early 70s, twenty years after independence, India was experiencing change and growth but the growth was somehow confined to only those who were living in cities. On the other hand rural India was slackened to the growth due to unmet reach and hence people shared same orthodox and traditional values, beliefs and cultures. The story is about Anita Kumari, a very cheerful, jolly and pretty girl from a village in Haryana. She was born with stars in her eyes in a very modest family where each day was a struggle and life was tough. Her father Ram Sharan used to work as a compounder in a Municipal Hospital in the city and visits home once in a month as it was far from the village. The problem at that time in India was that the society never worked sincerely on gender equality. They were born and raised with a belief to marry as soon as theyre teenager and take care of their families, cook for them, clean their homes, almost an alternate to usual maid. Their aspirations were doomed back and stated as a follower, behind a man.

Ram Sharan shared the same belief. He sent his elder son for schooling but Anita was refrained from going to school. She used to look after daily work at home, helping he mother in daily activities, looking after cattle, helping in preparing food, washing clothes and all the activities that a women is expected to learn before she get married. Time passed by, One day her dad came home after a month and he was very happy. He called her wife Asha and told her that he had got a marriage proposal for Anita. She was 13 yrs of age, a teenager by then. Ram Sharan was a dedicated and a hardworking man and he used to work under a doctor named Govind Malik. Govind trusted Ram and they shared a very good bonding and friendship. They even knew each others families. Govind had a young 15 yr old son named Prakash and therefore he asked Anitas hand for marriage with his son. Ram was very glad as he never thought that he would get such a good proposal. Finally both of them got married and she came to her in-laws place. Though they were living in city but few of the family members were very orthodox, specially her mother-in-law Janki. Janki was a tough lady and very strict as well. Anita was a very calm girl and used to work a lot all day long. She learnt almost everything from her mother. As the time passed by the couple became matured and Prakash joined army and was posted in Assam. Anita used to work from day till night still Janki used to scold her a lot. She taunted her that she was illiterate and her father gave nothing in the name of dowry but a burden and headache, still Anita never argued with her. Even when Prakash used to visits his home in holidays, he never sat down with Anita or had a word with her. He felt ashamed of the fact that his wife is illiterate, contrary to the wives of his colleagues. Prakash and his mother believed that she dont have manners and shes not educated therefore shes not a right match for him and for that reason he always ignored her. Few years later Anitas father passed away due to heart illness followed by her mother trauma and she also deceased the same year. Now there was no one in the family whom she could look forward to, except Govind. He was a generous man and always supported her but still he was a bit timid in front of his wife Janki. Prakash and Janki molested and assaulted her many times but she couldnt ask for a help. After few years Prakash left her and

married to someone else and started living with the other lady. Govind couldnt tolerate that and he took Anita with her to the city. Govind supported her and helped her to forget the past and start a new life, a meaningful life. He wanted to empower her so that she can lead a happy life. He also knew that empowerment comes from true freedom to be oneself. The day she can live on her own terms without fear, and not see her womanhood treated as sign of weakness she will see the balance improve in her favor. First thing he did was to teach her, groom her. She was only 26 by then but had faced and seen a lot at very early stage. She understood the reality of life and wanted to changes things so that no other Anita would face what she went through, so that they can be independent and have a name for themselves. She started studying and she got help from a municipal school as well. She started working in a factory where she did cloth weaving and knitting as it was her hobby and she was very good in that since her childhood and never asked a penny from his father-in-law so that she could stood up and learn to be independent. Govind understood that and therefore never forced anything on her. She was a brilliant learner and very hardworking women. She used to do all cleaning work at home then take classes followed by her work in the factory every single day but never gave up. That was the sign of a change, a new beginning, a truly bold lady. Almost after a decade when she was more matured and gather enough finance, took the decision to leave the job and start a small cloth weaving and knitting unit so that she can support other ladies like her. By then she was educated, smart and broadminded. She got a loan sanctioned from bank and started a unit. Within the 1st year they saw a huge growth and profit. It was all because of her guidance, formulation and other hardworking ladies who shared the same values as she does. They started getting lot of work and orders from many firms. As she used to buy linen from outside and then weave it, it had some quality and supply issues so she and her team thought of expanding their business with an addition of cloth making unit. It required finance and expertise to excel in that area. So she hired some experts and started working on that. By the grace of god and her ongoing hardworking stream and efforts, they managed to come out

with a new cloth making unit within two years. Now the sky was the limit for her. In the next five years their company came up with some more units in different cities of Haryana. The business was growing and she realized that to make it profitable and get good hold, its time to go places and expand geographically. She knew that Gujarat was the ultimate location for textile industry. They built their headquarters in Ahmadabad, Gujarat and manufacturing plants at various locations in Gujarat. Her Father-in-law passed away the same year. He was the inspiring flame for her since beginning. It was him because of whom she could believe in herself, but she didnt broke down but stood strong because she had to fulfill her father-inlawss dream to see Anita and her company reaching the heights, helping each & every needed, empower them and shes respected by all for her work. She knew that illiteracy was a big problem then and specially with the women population. So for their empowerment and their upliftment she opened school where they can incur knowledge. She also opened vocational school and teaching centers for working and non-working women so that they can acquire and gain learning. Her team did many campaigns teaching them about the benefits for knowledge and inspiring them to work and give a helping hand in earning to their husbands and balance both altogether. Most of the executives and other positions in the company were held by women. The triumph continued and at present the company has a strength of 20,000 employees, most of which are women, 18 Manufacturing plants at major locations, 84 Schools and Learning centers in 56 locations, 15 Clothing-line brands, 360 stores world over and a very big name in the textile industry, popularly known as GOVIND MILLS LTD. She showed everyone that a good leader is one who empowers others. The times have changed, women are nowhere behind men but walk along men, shoulder to shoulder. She proved that if you have the courage to drive away fear and dedication to achieve impossible, no one can stop you. We can infer from the abstract what Abraham Lincoln once said- Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.

*DISCLAIMER : All stories are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist, except in the mind of the author. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

QUESTIONS:
Ques: What do you mean by women empowerment? Ans: The meaning for women empowerment is to give rights & power to women to come up in life to challenge against it. Empowering women aims to inspire women self-decision regarding education, participation, mobility, economic independency, public speaking, awareness and exercise of rights, political participation and many more factors ensure women empowerment. In short women empowerment is the breaking of personal limitation. When and where women are given power they can perform their role effectively and efficiently. Ques: Is empowerment of women a cure for poverty? Ans: In many places in the world where there is widespread poverty, women have essentially zero economic resources. Their only tasks are the raising of children and manual labour in either the home or fields. For these and other reasons women are hugely more likely to be poor than men. One of the most effective ways that has been found for dealing with this poverty is the encouragement of small businesses, the way Anita started. Again for whatever reason, these businesses also appear to raise the economic level and standard of living of the community they live in. Ques: Where you can infer from the case that inspired Anita the most? Ans: He was in inspiring flame for her from beginning. It was him because of whom she could believe in herself, but she didnt broke down but stood strong because she had to fulfill her father-in-lawss dream to see Anita and her company reaching the heights, helping each & every needed, empower them and shes respected by all for her work

Ques: What are the benefits of women empowerment? Ans: If women were empowered to do more and be more, the possibility for growth becomes apparent. When women are empowered, whole families benefit, and these benefits often have ripple effects to future generations. They can be independent, look after themselves. They can work freely and help family financially. In turn it helps the economy as a whole. Ques: What is the core reason for Prakash to ignore Anita? Ans: He was educated and working but his wife was neither. He didnt found compatibility with her.