RITU JAIN

As a young girl, she had a twinkle in her eyes – some magical ambition. Her hard work and motivation guided her through the roughest times. Her father, a government official, transferred jobs very often. They moved many houses but had none to call home. In a world of instability, her family was her constant.

Living in Delhi, she would rush back as the clock struck 6 pm. She was always told, “it’s not safe here”. But she questioned why she had to be protected, instead of boys being educated. As a teenager, a big opportunity came her way. She was the only student selected for an exchange program to Switzerland. What sounds like a fun trip to us now, was a battle of independence for her then. No one in her family had ever travelled alone to what they considered to be an unknown faraway land. Her supportive parents told her then, “you have the power to change the norm.” And so she did. This 16-year-old girl packed her bags and courageously ventured alone into a progressive tomorrow, travelling across seas that she had only studied in textbooks. She brought back a whole new world of stories, almost fascinated by the independence her new Swiss friend seemed to have.

This wasn’t long before she found herself alone drenched in the Bombay rains. Her father had transferred again, to what was called the City of Dreams, but was rather a nightmare for her! As soon as they moved, the college admission process had started. From being protected and sheltered, suddenly her parents handed her a map of Mumbai city, exploring its busy, noisy streets. Amidst the chaos, she boarded local buses, hopping from place to place to enrol at any college of her choice and determine her own future. The unconventional STEM female student navigated her way through her teen years. Some people would stare at her in confusion, “You chose PCM? But you’re a girl.” She would stare back in confusion, “So???”Clearly, she independently made her own rules. She could not care less about following some ridiculous societal norms!

Part 1/3 (continued...)

written by Preksha Jain