Not a victim anymore, she is now inspiring thousands of young girls
Punam Rai’s journey from a victim to a role model was not an easy one. A victim of dowry harassment by her husband and in-laws, she is currently teaching painting and taekwondo, a type of martial art, with the assistance of her NGO staff to thousands of young girls. Her efforts have been a source of inspiration for these girls.
Punam Rai was born and raised in the Vaishali district of Bihar. Her family later moved to Varanasi due to her father’s job transfer. Punam had a happy upbringing with her parents and brothers until she married. Unfortunately, her marriage turned her life upside down.
Punam Rai, a graduate with honours in painting from Banaras Hindu University, got married soon after completing her graduation. Her family was told that her husband was an engineer. However, just a week into the marriage, Punam discovered that he was not an engineer but had only passed intermediate. Her husband and in-laws constantly harassed her for more dowry, despite her father having met all the dowry agreements.
She could not endure the taunts anymore and returned to her maternal home. But after finding out that she was pregnant, her husband and in-laws convinced her to return to her marital home. Things were slightly better during the pregnancy, but they started mistreating her again after she gave birth to a girl.
But on February 2, 1997, after an intense fight, her in-laws pushed her off the third floor of the building, causing severe injuries to her spine.
She was paralysed for 15 years as the fall severely injured her spine. Though doctors were not hopeful of a complete recovery, she regained some mobility with the help of physical therapy.
She suffered another setback when she lost her father in 2014. In his memory, she later founded the NGO named Bindeshwar Rai Foundation.
She has recruited instructors to teach taekwondo, and she herself teaches painting there. The NGO has trained over 3000 pupils so far. More than 20 students have participated in state and national events.
In 2017, Punam undertook an artistic endeavour that involved painting 648 faces on a single canvas. In 2017, Punam undertook a creative endeavour that involved painting 648 faces on a single canvas.
She depicted different phases in a girl’s life, from birth to death. The project, titled “Phases of Faces,” took Punam 17 days to complete. She was motivated by the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign, pioneered by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Punam aimed to highlight the importance of supporting and empowering girls throughout their journey.
Photo credit: https://goanewshub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IMG-20230111-WA0002.jpg
