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