Sometimes, a run is not just about reaching the finish line. It is about discovering what we are capable of, finding confidence in ourselves and taking another step towards the life we dream of. In Jharkhand, four women are doing exactly that, one morning at a time.
It is early morning. The air is fresh, the ground is getting busy and a group of women is preparing for a 1,600-metre run. Some are wearing sports shoes and T-shirts, while others have arrived in traditional clothes. A few have their husbands and children cheering for them. Others have come on their own.
For these women, the goal is much bigger than completing a race. They are preparing for an opportunity that could bring new possibilities into their lives.
At Sidhu Kanhu Stadium in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, around 6,000 women from six blocks gathered for a trial run ahead of the state’s Home Guard recruitment process. The practice session gave candidates an opportunity to prepare on the same ground where the official physical test was scheduled to take place.
Among them were Meena Kumari, Yashoda Devi, Punita Devi and Priyanka Devi. Their lives are different, their responsibilities are different, but their dreams have brought them to the same running track.
For Meena Kumari, running is a chance to return to a dream she once had to put aside.
A former state-level kabaddi player, Meena had to leave her college education and preparations for the Railway Group D examinations because of financial difficulties. Years later, she found another opportunity through Home Guard recruitment.
Her husband, Hiralal Bedia, has become her biggest supporter. Every morning, he accompanies her for training, while other family members help look after the children. During the trial run, Meena completed the 1,600-metre distance and was placed in the excellence category.
For her, the attraction of the job goes beyond wearing the khaki uniform. She wants to earn her own money and decide how she spends it. She hopes to contribute to her family while also fulfilling her personal ambitions.
Yashoda Devi’s journey shows how encouragement within a family can make a difference.
A mother to a young daughter, Yashoda has continued preparing for the recruitment while managing her family responsibilities. Her husband, Santosh, looks after their daughter while she goes out for practice.
She completed the 1,600-metre run in a little over seven minutes. Having undergone a Caesarean delivery nearly a year earlier, she continues to work towards her goal with determination.
Yashoda completed her graduation in sociology after marriage. She hopes that getting a job will allow her to contribute to household expenses and pursue the ambitions she still carries.
Her story is a reminder that marriage and motherhood do not have to mean putting personal dreams aside.
Punita Devi brings another kind of determination to the track.
A 32-year-old widow and mother of three, Punita has spent years working at construction sites to provide for her children. Her daily routine once involved travelling nearly 30 kilometres for work.
Now, she begins her mornings at around 4 am and runs nearly five kilometres as part of her preparation. She practises wearing a saree, choosing to remain comfortable in what she is familiar with.
Punita arrives at the stadium without anyone cheering for her, but she carries a strong reason to keep going: her children’s future. She even borrowed running shoes from a friend for the trial run.
For Priyanka Devi, the dream of a job is connected to something deeply personal.
At 25, Priyanka is preparing for the recruitment while staying with her parents. She has been separated from her seven-year-old son for four years and hopes to build a more secure future.
She travels around 15 to 17 kilometres to train at an academy in Hazaribagh. Her coach has waived the training fee, allowing her to continue preparing.
For Priyanka, this opportunity represents a chance to become financially independent and work towards the future she hopes to share with her son.
What makes these four stories special is not simply how fast these women can run. It is the effort behind every morning, every kilometre and every attempt to improve.
Their journeys also remind us that encouragement does not always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it is a husband holding a child while his wife runs, a family sharing household responsibilities, a coach offering free training or a friend lending a pair of shoes.
A job may be their destination, but the confidence, discipline and courage they are building along the way are achievements in themselves.
The finish line may be the same for everyone, but every woman has her own reason for running. And sometimes, the most meaningful victory is realising that you have the strength to begin again.
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