OUR BRAVE WAR WIDOWS

Mani Devi was married to Naik Ishwar Singh of Bhoja Ka Bas (Jhunjhunu District) at the age of 18 years in 1983.

Naik Ishwar Singh was enrolled in 5 JAT Regt in 1987 and he laid down his life for the country on 02 Jul 2000 during OP RAKSHAK in J & K. At that time Mani Devi was 35 years of age and mother of Seven Daughters and One son.

She never got a chance to go to school and remained illiterate. After her husband expired she continued to stay at her native village in Jhunjhunu with her children who were born between 1984 to 1996. She had committed to her late husband that she will do everything for making their children good human beings and well educated.

Accordingly, she decided to get her children admitted to the village school despite no support from her family and continuous nagging and discouragement from lots of people in the village regarding girls’ education.

She used her pension and other income from agriculture, cattle rearing and other domestic work support and continued education of all her children.

It took her a while to understand the importance of self-reliance for her daughters and their education and limitations of the village school.

She decided to shift to ‘Saanjhi Chat’ a war widow hostel run by Sanik Kalyan Vibhag Jaipur in 2005 and got her children admitted in government schools and subsequently in government colleges in Jaipur.

It was her grit and determination that enabled all seven daughters and sons to continue their studies and complete their graduation and postgraduation courses.

All her seven daughters and son are well settled in good jobs and are working as Teachers, Lawyers, Nursing Staff and Government and Private Bank Employees.

She fought almost all odds to get her children married in good houses and educated grooms. She lived in ‘Saanjhi Chat’ from 2005 to 2012.

And it was during this period the writer who was Sanik Kalyan Adhikari Jaipur interacted with Smt Mani Devi and learnt about her struggle and determination to facilitate the education of her children.

The Army, the JAT Regiment and Sanik Kalyan Vibhag Rajasthan extended all possible help in fulfilling the dreams of Smt Mani Devi who herself is a very brave woman.

Mani Devi was also an example of simplicity and humility to other 33 widows staying at the hostel and was the real inspiration for them all. The writer was himself a witness to her counselling talks to other widows in the hostel and saw her as a very inspiring lady.

Mani Devi fondly remembers the writer and Sainik Kalyan Vibhag staff for their encouragement and guidance in her life and support extended by Army during her days of struggle.

Mani Devi made her own house in Jaipur in 2012 and had shifted from Saanjhi Chat in 2013 to facilitate some other needy widow availing this very safe and subsidized facility.

Today she leads a very happy and satisfying life with her children and grandchildren at her home in Jaipur but still keeps visiting her village and inspiring other women to encourage girl education.

Her message to all Women is - Not to lose hope and patience and do everything in your power to enable your daughters to become Self Reliant and Well Educated.

Ratan Kaur was married to Naik Nain Sukh of Lala Maandi - Buhana in Jhunjhunu District in 1994 at the age of 18 years.

Naik Nain Sukh was enrolled in the Corps of Signals in 1990 and he laid down his life for the country on 18 Nov 2003 during OP RAKSHAK in Baramulla (J & K).

At that time Ratan Kaur was 27 years of age and mother of two sons who were just one and three years old.

Ratan Kaur had done her class Xth when she got married but continued her studies and did her graduation from Bhawani College in Jaipur after marriage.

Her children were very small when her husband laid down his life for the nation in 2003. She didn’t get any support from her in-laws but her father who himself was an army veteran came and stayed with her for three years to help her recover from the shock and take care of children in her village.

In order to provide good education to her children, Ratan Kaur decided to shift to ‘Saanjhi Chat’ a war widow hostel run by Sanik Kalyan Vibhag Jaipur in 2008.

It was here the writer who was Sanik Kalyan Adhikari Jaipur interacted with Smt Ratan Kaur and fully supported her to become a selfreliant lady and do well in life for herself and her sons.

She became warden of the war widow hostel in 2010 and did a great service to the other war widows staying with her in the hostel.

She was encouraged by the writer to pursue a case in Rajasthan High Court which she finally won and was appointed as Tehsildar in 2012 by Rajasthan State Government being a war widow as she was eligible for employment in the state government.

She got her children admitted to Army School Jaipur and later sent one son to Birla Public School Pilani. The Army, the Corps of SIGNALS and Sanik Kalyan Vibhag extended all possible help in fulfilling the dreams of Smt Ratan Kaur.

Ratan Kaur always remembers her father and the writer for their support and encouragement in her life which made her a self-reliant lady and provided the best of education to her children. She became a role model for other 33 widows staying at the hostel and was a real inspiration for all of them to carve their lives for the better.

The writer has himself been a witness to her transformation from a young shy lady to a very confident and bold state administrative services officer. Ratan Kaur has constructed a Veterinary Hospital, a Memorial with a statue of the martyr and has been continuously supporting the school named after her martyr husband in village Lala Maandi in Jhunjhunu.

She moved into her parent’s house from Saanjhi Chat in 2012after joining state government service to facilitate some other needy widows availing this very safe and subsidized facility.

Today she leads a very happy and satisfying life and works as Sub Registrar at Sanganer in Jaipur. Her elder son Ankit has done MBA from FMS Delhi University and her younger one Sumit is preparing NEET.

She keeps visiting her village and has been doing a lot of work for the welfare of her village. She donated her house for opening a Veterinary Hospital.

She also did lots of work to improve the village school and has been an inspiration for other women in her village and Jaipur where she lives.

She has been awarded as Women Icon by many NGOs and Government bodies for her being a role model for other women.

Her message to all Women is - Be resolute in whatever you do and strive to be self-reliant and give back to society something for the betterment of all.