Celebrating Women’s Strength and Resilience

 

Celebrating Women’s Strength and Resilience – From
Entrepreneurs to Boatwomen 🚀⛵ #WomensDay #Empower Her

As I flipped
through the newspaper today, its pages were filled with inspiring stories and
grand celebrations marking International Women’s Day. One significant
announcement stood out—the State Bank of India has introduced interest-free
loans for women entrepreneurs, a commendable step toward empowering women
and fostering economic independence.

The newspaper
also highlighted the remarkable journeys of women who started from scratch and
built thriving businesses through sheer determination:

🔹 Pranjali
Awasthi – A prodigious software developer who founded her own company at
just 16 years old, now worth ₹100 crore.
🔹 Punam Gupta – Turned an online scrap-selling venture into a ₹1,000
crore empire.
🔹 Kirti Jangara & Neetu Yadav – Created wealth worth ₹500
crore with their entrepreneurial vision.

India has
always been home to incredible female achievers—Kalpana Chawla, Bachendri
Pal, and Arunima Sinha, who climbed Mount Everest despite having an
amputated leg, are just a few names that continue to inspire millions.

However, beyond
these success stories, grim realities persist. Reports indicate that every
10 minutes, a woman or girl is murdered somewhere in the world. Despite
progress, women remain marginalized in various spheres of life, with only 87
countries ever having had a female head of state. The fight for equal
opportunities is far from over.

The Unsung Heroes: Boatwomen of Phulwaria Dam 🌊🚣‍♀️

While urban
India celebrates Women’s Day with all-women airline crews and special
train services, there exist unsung heroines in the remote corners of our
country.

One such
inspiring sight was in Phulwaria Dam, located in a village near Rajauli,
Nawada district of Bihar, along NH-20. Here, I witnessed women
manning boats, navigating the vast expanse of water that has served as
their primary mode of transport since the dam’s construction in 1985.

Surrounded by
scenic hills, this region—often referred to as the “Meghalaya of
Bihar”—has several villages isolated by water. With no roads or
motorized transport, the villagers rely entirely on boats for daily
commutes and trade. These resilient boatwomen not only ferry people across
the dam but also sustain their families by fishing and selling fresh produce.

During my
visit, I had the privilege of sharing a meal with them—freshly caught fish,
rice, and organic vegetables. The simplicity and warmth of their hospitality
left an everlasting impression on me.

As Women’s Day
celebrations take over cities and social media, let us not forget these
fearless women—who, without recognition or applause, continue to break
barriers in their own way.

📸 In
the picture: Women rowing their boat across Phulwaria Dam

🖊️ Text
& Photo by: Ashok Karan
🔗 ashokkaran.blogspot.com

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#BoatWomen
#RuralEmpowerment #BreakingBarriers #WomenEntrepreneurs #StrengthInEveryWoman