Nileema Mishra’s life is a testament to her passion for helping villagers through gainful employment.
The winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Nileema Mishra’s success began in the year 2000, when she sold her maternal ancestor’s jewels. Worth rupees three lakh, the money helped raise the revolving funds to help those in need.
“Initially there was no money to start this social group to help distressed rural people. So without a second thought, Mishra’s mother Nirmala sold her ancestral jewelry and ornaments. It was an emotional moment. Funds were raised and four computers purchased. That time, a single compuer set us back by Rs40,000,” said Vinod Sonar, who is a close aide of Mishra’s, and a core group member.
Always in a state of worry about raising funds, Mishra can now breathe a sigh of relief with the attention and funds garnered by the award. “I hope that after this award, I will be able to push my work forward in a speedy manner. People will not hesitate to participate. I have always desired to change the living conditions of rural people by helping them both financially and socially.”
Mishra believes that her education in clinical psychology from Pune University helped her to “clear negative thoughts and focus on social work”.
As a child, Mishra was witness to tragedies such as the plight of widows and elderly people. “it made a deep impact on me. It was the turning point, for after that, I decided that I would never marry and instead devote my life to the upliftment of those not as fortunate as me,” she remembers.
Neelima hails from the Unnav district in Uttar Pradesh, and her family has been staying in Bahadarpur for the last seven generations.
“One of my great grandfathers started the first school in 1952 of this locality,” said Chandrashekhar Mishra, Nileema’s father, a retired head master. He remembers that at one time, his aim was to get Nileema married at the right age.
“There were two fine proposals for Nileema. I tried to persuade her, but she was too determined towards her cause. That time, I felt saddened and henceforth decided not to discourage her. Today, Magsaysay Award has made me a proud father. I never thought that my daughter will get a Magsaysay award at such an early age” he told DNA.
He further said that when Nileema was a child, she would save the money given to her to buy food, and instead give it away to the impoverished, remembers the proud father.
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