Thirty-year-old Sudha Patel, a visually-impaired woman has made sure that the little village, of which she is the sarpanch, is as colourful as the rainbow.
VADODARA: Her personal world may be carbon black, but 30-year-old Sudha Patel, a visually-impaired woman has made sure that the little village, of which she is the sarpanch, is as colourful as the rainbow.
Patel, a multiple degree holder in Hindi literature and education was the first woman sarpanch of Changa village in Anand district of Gujarat.
“Initially it was difficult for a visually-impaired girl like me to become a sarpanch in a village with traditional mind set. I had just finished my college at that time,” said Patel. “People used to underestimate my ability because I was a girl and that too a visually-impaired girl. Initially, they used to take me for granted until I proved myself by establishing Changa as one of the finest infrastructurally developed village,” she said.
The eldest daughter of her farmer parents, Patel had to move mountains to prove her ability to the ten thousand odd villagers of Changa. “My parents also had to bear criticism because I was born visually-impaired. But I am happy that I could prove everyone wrong and have achievements to show,” said Patel, who has received seven awards, including the prestigious - Ten Outstanding Young Persons of World (in 1997) and Outstanding Woman Panchayat leader of India.
Financially independent, Patel now works as a project coordinator with a private trust in Anand for upliftment of disabled children.
“It gives me immense satisfaction when I am a part of a programme that works for the disabled children. It’s a complete experience,” she said. Ask her about her experience in being elected a leader in a man's world, she responds,
“Sometimes you become the object of jealousy and criticism. But I think work speaks volume to prove my qualities.” Patel, who operates a computer with the help of voice software and manages her day to day affair on her own, wants to join politics in future. “I really look forward to bringing about a change in the system,” she said.
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