Take-2

Image Source: ancient-origins.net “Who is the team leader of your group?”, an official in an urban administrative office asked our team who was on field during our district immersion in Satna, Madhya Pradesh. I said, “My name is Nitisha”. “What is your full name?” he questioned looking perplexed. “Nitisha”, I said again. He insisted, “You would have a full name, wouldn’t you?” I remarked that I didn’t have any, but since the team had begun feeling uncomfortable we gave someone else’s name from the team and ended our meeting. This wasn’t my first encounter with someone on field who was supremely concerned with what my surname was. If you still haven’t understood, this is the shadow of caste which has been following me everywhere like a ghost, refusing to go away anytime soon. During the district immersion course at ISDM called Realizing India, I realized the privilege of my surname ‘Pandey’ which denoted that I come from the so called upper caste. Most high level

Kamala Bai is a Dalit Sarpanch in the village of Magneri in a district of Madhya Pradesh. Since the seats in Gram Panchayats have a reservation of 50% for women, she won the elections by a 100 votes. Her husband has studied till twelfth standard and she calls herself uneducated.  An NGO helped her in getting information on the finances and the working of the panchayat. Once she started work, she wanted the women in the village to participate in the Gram Sabha. She wanted them to speak up and have an equal opportunity in stating their views on matters related to the village. She said and I quote, “The Gram Panchayat should take care of the village like it is their own child. When people have issues do they go to the Prime Minister or the Sarpanch to resolve their problems?” She questioned on the things which didn’t seem right and got the administration to take note of it. She also fought with lawyers who asked for bribes and the village rowdies who participated in illegal acti