Gita was bold and outspoken learner and came from a very remote forest area near
the Gujarat -Maharashtra border. There was a shade of aggression in her behavior
that needed to be channelized to help her attain control and focus. Within a year’s
time she turned into an alert listener, enthusiastically absorbing and observing
everything around her. Her one stand in life against established social norms, gave
her strength beyond expectation.
During the summer break after the IX standard exams, when she returned to her village,
her father had already found a suitable boy for Gita and announced that the wedding
date was set after 12 days. Stunned to hear this, she tried to protest in every
way but to no avail! One night, she slipped out to go and metthe boy's family, who
were living on the other side of the reservoir, of the dam, woke up one boat owner
and requested to take her to the village on the other bank. The boat owner’s wifereprimanded
Gita for being irresponsible to travel alone at night but they did help her. Gita
knockedthe door. Her future mother-in-law opened it, shocked to see Gita at that
time of the night asked why she had come?
Gita replied that she had come to request them to call off the engagement. When
her in-laws asked for the reason, she said that she wanted to continue her education
and would like to become a teacher. Her in-laws were thrilled to hear about her
aspirations and promised her that she would be able to continue her education at
Kedi even after getting married and they fulfilled their promise.
After completing her education, she started living with her husband and now has
two beautiful and healthy children. Then she came to know that her husband had started
drinking and had broken Gita’s trust by breaking his promise of not to touch alcohol.
Warnings didn’t help hence one day Gita left her husband saying that she would not
come back till he quits drinking and that she would take care of children by herself.
The story has a happy ending because her husband knew how confident and determined
she is to stand on her own feet and live an independent life; he quit his habit
and has been sober for last five years. They are back together again.
At present, Gita is working as a teacher in a remote area school. She is a prime
example of how the right environment instills the love for learning and gives one
confidence to negotiate to fulfill their aspiration.