Rajasthan News: ‘Hockeywali sarpanch’ leads young women in Rajasthan village dribble past convention | Jaipur News

JAIPUR: Until two years ago, women in Lambi Ahir village in Jhunjhunu district were restricted to their homes. Generations have had a veiled existence without exposure and participation in anything other than the daily household chores. But now in Neeru Yadav, the youngest sarpanch of the area, the women in the village have found their ‘liberator’.
Neeru, who became the sarpanch in October 2020, is busy these days getting the hockey team of village girls ready to participate in the second edition of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Olympic Games scheduled to begin from July10. In the inaugural edition of the event, the Lambi Ahir team was the winner at the block level and went on to play at the district level.

In the rural Olympics, the 33-year-old, known popularlyas ‘hockeywali sarpanch’, has found the right platform to bring the women out of their homes and ensure holistic development. But it was a herculean task, she says, from getting the girls interested insports and making them take up one to the bigger task taking their parents into confidence and convincing them to let their daughters play.

Recalling an incident when she had to face the ‘wrath’ of the parents for holding a training session late, she says, “Last year, we extended the training session when there were only fourfive days left for the rural games to begin. The girls could be dropped at their homes only by 6pm when it was already dark because of winter. All the parents revolted saying they won’t allow their daughters to train till late. I had to then personally reach out to every parent and assure them of sending their children home early. It was tough, but I did not give up and finally got their nod,” she says.

Other than inspiring and organising the team, Neeru also donated her salary, created a fund to set up a dedicated playground, buy hockey kits, uniforms and have a hockey coach. “There was no playground in the village when we started last year. So I took them to Singhania University grounds in a nearby village called Pacheri Bari. I took permission from authoritiesand even hired the university coach to help the girls in training.”
The sarpanch has now got a ground ready in her gram panchayat.
Neeru comes from a family of teachers in Haryana and is married to an engineer in Jhunjhunu. She has done her graduation and postgraduation in mathematics and also holds BEd and MEd degrees. “I have always wanted to play a sport but my parents insisted that I devote myself to education.”
Her husband Ashok’s grandfather, who once stood for sarpanch election, was the inspiration for her to take up the role of a leader with a vision to match. She hasn’t stopped yet and is now planning to assemble a women’s kabaddi team. “It’s just the beginning and I am hopeful,” she says.