Name: Madhu KanwarHusband's Name: Sh. Chain Singh Tanwar
Father's Name: Sh. Devi Singh Dhandhar
Native Place (Peehar): Village Balariya (Khetasar)
Tehsil Osian, Jodhpur
My father was an agriculturist. Now, my three brothers are also engaged in agriculture. My parents are well to do. We are seven brothers and sisters. I am the only handicapped in the family.
Because of my handicap, I could not get a suitable groom. I was wed in a nearby village. Marriage was compulsory as in our Rajput society, girls are not kept spinsters. At my in-laws, I had brothers-in-law and their wives which created all the more trouble for me. As I could not cook properly because of my handicap, my in-laws often threatened to leave me at my parent's house. They didn't even provide me bed and bedding to sleep. Then, my father sent a bed and bedding for me.
Everyday, my in-laws would curse me and insist my husband to send me back home. My husband was a simple man who could not oppose his family. We were then separated from the in-laws and I gave birth to four sons. The fifth one was a girl, she was quite healthy. When she was two, polio struck her. I used to see myself in her. God perhaps had only this much happiness in store for me. Now I am a mother of 4 sons and 4 daughters. I am handicapped in one limb only but my daughter has problem with both her legs. Whenever I saw her, my heart ached on remembering how I had passed my own days in misery. But I was helpless. I am totally illiterate.
I could in a way help my daughter when someone told me that physically handicapped girls are being admitted in Sucheta Kriplani School. I became really happy. Today my daughter is studying in IVth standard. All facilities, i.e. boarding, lodging and education are being provided to her free of cost. I and my family are very happy. I couldn't study but my daughter will. I will make her join stitching classes so she doesn't depend on anyone. When people in the village said that a lame lady has borne a lame child, I felt very sad and depressed. But now when my child becomes educated, no one will be able to speak a word. My husband has always been with me. There is only one thing that worries me - I have somehow lived up my life, but what will be the fate of my child. How will she face all the difficulties? Our society demands a lot of courage and boldness to survive. I leave everything to God. He will definitely impart justice to my child.