This is the story of a woman, who made a big struggle to educate her children decades back. Meet Mishri Devi of Reliwas village in Rajasthan. Her son was the first graduate in the village. She ensured that her sons and daughters get proper education. Her resolve was seen when the family was not allowed to fetch water from public water source, while there was no electricity.
The Super-Mom… This is the story of an illiterate woman, who is the mother of five sons and five daughters, who ensured that all her children and well educated and well established. The journey began with her family and still continues with efforts to get an education to the children in the village.
This is the story of Mishri Devi from Raliawas, Rewari, a small village in Haryana. A large family, with limited resources and many mouths to feed, had to struggle every day for basic necessities. The one woman, who led the entire family towards a brighter future, was Mishri Devi. It was the time when there was no electricity, no clean water to drink or not enough money to feed everyone in the house.
What made Mishri Devi to make more struggle was the fact that one of her sons was physically handicapped because of polio. But her priorities were very categorical. Unlike others, where children are asked to earn money instead of schooling because of poverty, Mishri Devi ensured that her children get proper education.
Mishri Devi’s eldest son was the first graduate in the village. The second son is currently an army officer while two others are officers in nationalized banks. One of them retired as chief manager of the bank. Her handicapped son is an officer with a bank. Her two daughters are housewives.
Mishri Devi’s son Dhanpat Singh is an IAS officer of 1984 Haryana batch. He recalls, “My grandfather and father used to work on a farm as labourers. They used to get 1/8th a portion of whatever is harvested, so obviously, our father wanted us to work. in the field so that the family could have some financial support. But our mother stood against this and emphasized on our education.” To avoid putting any extra financial pressure on the family, Mishri Devi used to cut and chaff whatever mustard is left in the field after everything is harvested and sell it. The money earned from that was used for the education of the kids. Thanks to her efforts, her elder son Chandrabhan Singh was the first graduate of the village. It was a glorious moment for the family which was not even allowed to fetch water from the public well, because of their so-called lower caste.
The insistence of Mishri Devi on the education of her children did not merely change the life of the family but inspired other villagers. The villagers realized the importance of education in human life and Mishri Devi’s family emerged as the symbol of a new change.
Around 1970, Mishri Devi decided to educate her daughters. It was the time when the term – women empowerment – was not born. Women education, particularly in rural areas, was a dream for many parents. She ensured that her daughters get an equally good education like her sons. Supported by her husband- Makhanlal Ji, Mishri Devi encouraged people in the vicinity to stand against the Dowery system.
For all the incredible work, she was honoured with the “Best Mother Award” under the Vayoshrestha Samman 2010 by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Senior Citizen’s Day. Mishri Devi had realized the importance of education but did not understand the significance when her son Dhanpat Singh passed IAS examination. She merely understood that her son had achieved something very big and distributed ladoos in the village. Mishri Devi currently stays with Dhanpat Singh at the government house and is satisfied that her son had done something incredible. Inspired by her mother, Dhanpat Singh had started a school in Raliawas where all the children can get an education without any hindrance. Mishri Devi is a satisfied mother as her well-wishers call her Super Mom.
Narrated by Chinmayee.