বাংলাIn Maharashtra’s Beed district, 47-year-old Ramabai Ranveer entered a 3-kilometre race with one goal in mind: to win the prize money and buy books for her two daughters.
She had no special running training and did not even have a proper pair of running shoes. When her inexpensive slippers repeatedly slipped during the race, Ramabai Ranveer took them off, gathered her sari and continued running barefoot.
Competing in the women’s 30-to-60 age category, Ramabai Ranveer finished first and won the prize of 3,000 Indian rupees. Her story soon spread across social media, prompting discussions about the financial challenges families face in supporting children’s education.
Ramabai has been the family’s main provider since losing her husband in 2012. She had to leave school at the age of 13 because of poverty. Since then, she has taken up various agricultural and other daily-wage jobs to support her family.
Her elder daughter Pooja is preparing for a police recruitment examination, while her younger daughter Aarti is preparing for the civil service examination. Aarti had reportedly become distressed after being unable to obtain books needed for her preparation.
Unable to send money for the books, Ramabai Ranveer decided to enter the race and try to win the prize money. Her story also triggered discussion about access to educational support and the reach of government schemes.
After the story gained attention, India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the local administration to provide Ramabai with financial assistance of 50,000 rupees. She has also started working as a cook at the coaching centre where her elder daughter is preparing for the police examination.
For Ramabai Ranveer, the focus remains on giving her daughters a better future. She hopes they will not have to endure the hardships she experienced and can build dignified lives of their own.
Read more: International News
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