Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh): We often read about young people quitting their jobs to pursue careers in politics or set up startups, but this 33-year-old tribal woman has pledged to shape the future of our country.
Sudha, wife of Bharat Singh Thakur of Damoh, was elected Khajra Lakhrauni gram panchayat sarpanch unopposed during the local body elections held eight months ago. However, she decided to drop the lucrative sarpanch (head of the village) post for a teaching job.
Not only this, she travelled all the way from Damoh to Khandwa district, covering 500 kilometres, as the school department posted her for as the contractual teacher.
She came along with her husband and 10-year-old daughter to the office of additional commissioner of tribal affairs Vivek Pandey, where the officer handed over her joining letter.
Sharing the reason behind leaving a lucrative post and opting to teach away from her native place, Sudha said that her aim behind opting for a teaching job is to shape the future of thousands of children, instead of beautifying only one village.
Applauding her in-laws and husband for supporting her decision, Sudha said that being a tribal woman, it is not easy to break the shackles of family and society, but her in-laws supported her in every decision.
In the case of any other family, they might not support and pressurise me to opt for politics over teaching as being a sarpanch of gram panchayat is more lucrative, but my in-laws supported my dreams and decision,” she said.
During this, Sudha told that my father-in-law was a teacher and I was educated too, so the villagers elected her sarpanch, but my dream was to become a teacher. Because I could develop only one village by becoming a sarpanch, but now I have more scope. I can shape the future of thousands of children so that they can become better humans and contribute to society.
Sudha added that before she was elected sarpanch, she appeared in the contract teacher Grade III exam and cleared it successfully, and she has words to express her happiness.
However, she got a posting to a primary school in Gulai Mal village in Khandwa district, about 500 kilometers away from her native place. However, she did not lose courage and decided to take up the job.
Before leaving Damoh, Sudha handed over her resignation from the post of sarpanch to Damoh collector.
Additional commissioner of the tribal affairs department, Vivek Pandey, said that Sudha had come to the office on Wednesday. She informed us that she left the sarpanch post and opted for a teaching job. She is posted at the residential primary school in Gulai Mal village, under the Khalwa block of the district.
