July 26, 2025

In the last 3 years, I’ve educated over 1000 kids

“I was barely 3 when I was married off to a boy from a nearby village. In our community, child marriages are common; I would be sent to my in-laws after I turned 18. I was too young to understand the meaning of marriage–growing up, all I cared about was studying.

When I turned 5, my village got its first ever school! I went to Papa and said, ‘Mujhe officer banna hai…school bhejo mujhe!’–he gave in. We didn’t have electricity, so I’d study all night with a lalten lamp. After school, I’d juggle household chores and farming. Still, I always came first in class!

After class 5, I’d walk 6 kms everyday to attend school in the neighbouring village. My neighbours used to tease, ‘Itna padhke kya karogi? Sasural hi toh jaana hai’, ‘Nobody likes an educated daughter-in-law.’ But I studied hard–in class 10, I got a distinction and moved to the town to pursue higher studies.

That’s where I came across an opening for a Police constable. I applied and out of 50 people, I was the only girl to pass the written test! I was nervous to tell Pitaji, but to my surprise, he said, ‘Tera officer banne ka sapna poora hona hi chahiye!’

After 9 months of rigorous training, I was appointed the first female police constable from my village; I was 19. I loved when people saluted me and said, ‘Police sahiba aa rahi hai!’

But a few months later, I started having stomach aches. The doctors told me, ‘You have stage 2 ovarian cancer.’ After struggling, when I was finally living my dream, my life came crashing down!

The next 6 months were horrible–I underwent 6 chemo sessions and lost all my hair; at one point, I only weighed 35 Kgs. Pitaji spent 4 lakhs on my treatment–our neighbours would ask him, ‘Beti pe itna paisa kyon kharch kar rahe ho?’; others called me ‘ganji’. So I confined myself to four walls.

Even after I resumed work, I’d wear a cap to cover my head; I hit rock bottom. Around then, I found out about a music teacher and enrolled in his classes. I started playing the harmonium–it helped me divert my mind.

A few months later, when my husband and I were to start living together, I told him all about myself. Ovarian cancer meant that my chances of becoming a mother were less–still, he said, ‘I want to be with you no matter what.’ He accepted me as I was and that was enough for me.

After, I decided to devote my life to social work. Post duty, I’d go around local schools to teach kids about good and bad touch, road safety; fondly, they started calling me, ‘Policewali Didi’.

In the last 3 years, I’ve educated over 1000 kids; the police commissioner awarded me for it, I’ve recorded 25 albums and my hair has grown back! Still, I often look at my old bald pictures–it reminds me of how far I’ve come and how far I have yet to go as…Policewali Didi!”

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