On the hazy morning of March 18, 15-year-old Sheetal Davatpure was nervous. Her SSC board exams had started and she was gearing up for a paper. Four of them still remained before she could breathe a sigh of relief. Little did she know that on returning home that evening, all tension about board exams would suddenly seem trivial. After wishing her luck and reminding her to take her hall ticket, her father Gurunath Davatpure, 38, headed for his farm only to end his life.
Two weeks previously, incessant rains and hailstorms in several parts of Marathwada destroyed miles of crops and swamped the farmlands of thousands of farmers, including Gurunath's.
"All hope gone. Nothing left," Gurunath had said after realising that the labour he put in all season on his 6.5 acre farmland in Khandapur was devoured by the calamity. The disaster crushed his hopes of repaying a Rs 1.75 lakh loan he had taken, the burden soon becoming unbearable.
Before leaving the house for the last time, Gurunath ate food made by his wife Sushma, then spent an hour in a nearby temple before proceeding to the farm, where he hanged himself from a tree. A lawyer who owns the neighbouring land found Gurunath and broke the news.
"Though the situation was gloomy after the hailstorm, we didn't notice any change in his behaviour that indicated such a drastic step," Sushma said. "He was always subdued".
In Marathwada, the seeds of most debts are sown in marriages. Living in a feudal society, a wedding means the bride's family has to provide a handsome dowry, along with household items like a TV, fridge, and utensils among others to satisfy the groom's family.
However, Gurunath stood out.
He borrowed every penny with only one aspiration: educating his children. 17 years ago, Gurunath made the decision to shift 10 kilometres from Khandapur to Latur, where there are good schools. He went back and forth to his farmland in Khandapur on his bicycle every day. With Sushma contributing to the family income by sewing, the family was just about managing until disaster struck.
"Farming has now becoming akin to gambling," said Atul Deulgaonkar, a noted author who has written extensively about farmer suicides. "Even if the rains are good, the crop is excellent, and everything goes smoothly, farmers still do not get the profit they deserve. Agents decide rates and make profits at the cost of farmers. Farmers end up just about managing and have nothing to fall back on in case of calamity or irregular rainfall."
Since 1995, more than three lakh farmers have taken their lives in India. According to the 2011 census, the suicide rate for farmers was 47% higher than the national average. 33,752 have occurred in Maharashtra alone from 2003 to 2012, at an annual average of 3,750.
The government has failed to address this system where agents milk farmers and, according to local activists, efforts regarding compensation have not been satisfactory. Sushma said the family did not even get the Rs 1 lakh declared by the government for the family of a farmer who commits suicide. Sitting in her rented two-room-house in Latur, a regretful smile on her face, Sushma said the inspectors who visited Gurunath's farm to assess the damage thought a generous amount of Rs 6,000 was appropriate compensation.
"Apart from the compensation, it is also important to provide them psychological support to let them know someone is looking after them," said Madhav Bawge, chief secretary of Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti. "Many families were spared the trauma of suicides after we travelled with psychiatrists through the hailstorm affected areas. But an NGO cannot reach every nook and corner. The government has the arsenal to do that, but it has not been done."
However, despite getting the cold shoulder from the authorities, Sheetal's resolve was unbroken. She went ahead with the remaining exams and passed with 59% marks. "It was tough," she said. She plans to go to college and aspires to be a lawyer. Why? "Nobody is worried about the problems of the poor. While travelling with my parents, I have seen the disparity. I want to fight for their problems by becoming a lawyer", she said.
The situation at the Davatpure household, though, is still grim, with over half the loan remaining to be paid. The family pays Rs 2,000 per month as rent, spends Rs 2,500 on ration and Rs 6,000 as the bank instalment.
But Sushma is not worried about that. "I have savings over the last 17 years, so I can manage my house." Her biggest concern is education. The eldest son, 17-year-old Suraj studies science in Class 12 and his fees are Rs 40,000 per year. School fees for the youngest, 14-year-old Sagar, are Rs 25,000 per year. Courtesy government provisions in educating the girl child, Sheetal's education is fortunately not financially heavy.
In order to meet these expectations, Sushma has increased her sewing work. A shelf right next to the entrance, filled with colourful clothes, made this quite apparent. Next to it is a photograph of Gurunath mounted on the wall.
Sushma now carries the burden of a debt, but she is determined to fight on. "My husband wanted our children to study," she said. "I will make sure they do."
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