Jagdish Kohli’s Dedication Towards Girls’ Education

From Sawai Madhopur, in Rajasthan, comes Jagdish Kohli, someone who has spent a little over a decade fighting for the education of girls, particularly adolescent girls. He has been committed to ensuring that they have equal and fair opportunities to learn, a commitment he fulfills through his involvement at the Gramin Siksha Kendra. Over the years, he has made it a practice to personally engage with families, break down barriers and offer reassurance, encouraging parents to support their daughters in the pursuit of their education.

For the past two years, Jagdish has been involved in a project called UMANG, where he helps girls gain valuable skills through computer education, academics, and other activities. But his efforts go beyond the center. He also participated in the Samvidhan se Samadhan training with We, The People Abhiyan in 2023, while working with UMANG. For Jagdish the training worked as a good place to recall and recollect all the constitutional values, especially that of equality, which he lives by.

Over the years Jagdish works relentlessly towards creating an environment of trust among the families by encouraging open discussions about their fears and doubts of their daughters’ education. This has opened up opportunities for girls to gain education. This has especially been true for the girls of classes 9th and 10th, where Jagdish noticed a striking drop-out rate. Concerns for safety, involvement in agricultural labor, the responsibility of household chores, especially hitting puberty were some of the prominent reasons Jagdish discovered upon investigation. A case in Kundera further highlighted the issue; after the COVID-19 lockdown, four girls dropped out of school when they entered class 9th, having fallen behind academically due to the situation. To get a deeper understanding of the situation, Jagdish visited their homes to speak to the families; he found that the parents were reluctant to send them back to school - they believed that their daughters were better off at home or at work in the fields, rather than risking the long commute to school.

To challenge the mindset, he asked questions to the family, guiding them toward understanding the value of equal opportunities for both their daughters and their sons. He also explained to them alternative paths that the girls could adopt to succeed in their education. These included the bridge course at UMANG or applying for higher classes through open schooling where they would be able to continue their education more conveniently. Jagdish had to visit them time and again, and even with a team before the families finally agreed and the girls could go back to school. His persistence was unwavering.

This was a rather sensitive situation that Jagdish approached with utmost care.

As Jagdish continues to work on education, he holds close and practices the Constitutional value of equality which he showcases in the way he conducts himself when interacting with the people of the village. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance. Time and again Jagdish has shown us the power of not giving up even in the face of adversity and continuing to work towards what one believes in. Today, thanks to Jagdish’s tireless efforts, many more girls in Sawai Madhopur are staying in school and continuing their education.

The above story has been written and published with the explicit consent of the individual involved. All facts presented are based on WTPA's direct interaction with the individual, ensuring accuracy and integrity in our reporting.