My Inward Journey of Eight Days !

MY JOURNEY ALONGWITH THE WOMEN LEADERS OF MAHARASHTRA-

AS A COACH AND AS A CO-LEARNER !

This has been a journey of transformation for me and here is my little effort to pay tribute to the REAL Heroes of our society!

It all started the day I got to know that I am one of the Leadership Coaches who is going to coach and guide a group of women leaders of Maharashtra, mostly from rural part.

This made me feel very happy and elated with a pinch of pride that I am going to coach those women leaders who are playing a significant role in social and economic empowerment of women.

Next, I get an invitation to join eight days residential program where I was going to be spending my days with those women leaders. The days were precisely designed to work and support them in designing the clear vision and goal for themselves, their organization and to guide, observe them closely.

These are the terrific women from all rural parts of Maharashtra who have been working tirelessly for the empowerment of women. All of them might not be highly educated in terms of formal education but they are highly educated and qualified as human beings. They understand the value of life, of dignity, of respect and that is what compelled them to take a decision to change the state of women in their society. That probably was the turning point of their lives where they got the courage to start their journey of undying perseverance.

They started the journey solo, with no support but only hostility. The first and strongest opposition came from their own family wherein they had been threatened, humiliated, abused, and discouraged in all possible ways so that they abandon the mission they were determined to take. Their character and characteristic both were questioned but that could not deter them, in fact, that made their determination and willpower stronger and they decided to let all the allegations and questions be answered not in words but by their Actions!

Nothing could dissuade them, stop them! They stood strongly against all odds as they understood that it was the high time for them to do so, it was either Now or Never.

And the journey began which exuded faith and absorbed fire!

They used that fire to eradicate the darkness from society where women were invisible in darkness.

Slowly and steadily, the fire started to spread and soon became wildfire and those women saw light for the first time in their life.

The fire spread further and reached farther till it was acknowledged, accepted and respected by one and all starting from the Family, Society, Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat, to local Governance body and they had to sit up and take notice, change the rules and regulations towards women.

I specifically want to mention one of the activity among many, which I remember distinctly and had a very deep impact on me wherein they had to depict the picture of women in their society through pictures and few phrases.

And, I could not comprehend, could not even breathe, and felt so suffocated when I saw what they depicted: faceless, limbless women used ‘only’ as an object, made to live in shame, guilt for their existence and that was the stark and crude reality of the society where they are living!

I was under a state of shock, would have never known it- had I not encountered these women. They have brought me one step closer to the reality.

At that time, I realized how privileged we are having all the amenities, comfort, safety available to us and then also we complain and look for all the possible reason and hitches for not taking up a responsibility to create a change, a vision and reach the goal wherein these women had nothing working in their favour and they changed everything from that place and created the desired change.

These women are so sure, confident and comfortable in their own skin, their language, culture, values and systems. They never forgo their own identity or got lost in the flow of time, which became their biggest strength in my view.

This entire 8 days had been a personal inward journey for me where I learnt so much from these women. It was so inspiring to see them working on their vision and goal. They did not shy away from spreading their wings, establishing their individualities, their identities, letting the world know that they have by all means their foot firmly on ground and they have the equal right to have space for themselves to stand on their own two feet, that they do not need to restrict themselves, shrink themselves but to establish themselves.

Spending days with those leaders, changed my entire perspective towards them, myself, society and nation.

By the end of it, I see asking few questions to myself: These women started alone, unaccompanied and now they are change makers. How many times we get up to take the first step, the ownership for the change we want?

We always hear ourselves saying: how can I do something alone? I cannot change the systems, I do not have the power, This is not in my hand, etc.. etc..

I got reaffirmation to my faith that nothing is impossible, only if, one has the belief and determination and attitude to never give up !

No effort, however futile it might seem, ever go waste !

One just needs undying determination and will power to fulfil any dream and reach to the goal they envisaged. Lot of learning from these Heroes !

At the same time, I realized my huge responsibility of coaching, guiding, mentoring them and help them to sharpen themselves as better leaders, support them in continuously realizing and actualizing their unlimited potential.

As leaders, few aspects are very important to learn and understand to make this revolution a sustainable one.

Few points where focus is needed: To be organized, Having clear cut Vision and Goal to achieve, Time management, More knowledge and awareness, Knowing the roots of Indian values and culture, Creating sustainable path and systems and Preparing more and more leaders who can become support systems and carry this huge responsibility.

Overall, It has been the most humbling, gratifying and enriching experience of my life so far !