Reeta Kaushik of Kushinagar symbolises a revolution in learning. Born in the Musahar community — the most marginalised and deprived section, Reeta stands out as an educator across many villages of Kushinagar and Gorakhpur. She is credited with educating over 25,000 girls and youths through her organisation.
“I am my own inspiration,” she says, recalling how she fought social norms to bring about a change in not just her own life but also that of many others in her community and outside it. A rickshaw puller’s daughter, Reeta battled casteism, child marriage and illiteracy at each step. “In my family, education was never a priority, least so for girls.”
Her father also sold vegetables to earn more. While her elder sister looked after household chores, Reeta would take her two younger brothers to school, around 3 km away. “I faced the twin-trouble – one was gender bias and another my caste. I always wanted to study,” says she. “I ferried my brothers to school and back home. I didn’t have any choice and that’s what I disliked.”
One day, when she was hardly 10 years old, she asked her brother’s teacher if she could share some space on the bench in the back row and listen to what was being taught. “The teacher agreed and my journey to the world of education began,” says Reeta.
She went on to win a scholarship to study in a private school. Around the same time, she was pressured into marriage when she was all of 12 years. “In villages, ‘bidai’ (formal send-off of a newly-married girl) doesn’t take place immediately. By the time I was supposed to leave for my in-laws’ place in 1991, I had completed by graduation, ranked first in the first year BSc,” recalls Reeta. She returned home within a day of her ‘bidai’ and never went back.
Enrolling in BSc second year was costly. Reeta dropped out, learnt shorthand and typing and secured a job at a dispensary for a salary of Rs 1,500 in 1996. She then enrolled in Arts stream. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue graduation in Science while working full time,” she says. A year later, she got a job at an organisation engaged in social work.
She then decided to pursue a postgraduate course using her savings. Today, she is the first educated woman in her family. In 2000, Reeta remarried. Getting immense support from her husband’s family, she continued her work as an office assistant. However, during her maternity leave, she was demoted and her salary was reduced from Rs 7,000 to Rs 5,000.
Her conviction about girls’ education led Reeta to register her own Samudayik Kalyan Evam Vikas Sansthan (SKVS) in 2003. Initially, she focused on primary education. Gradually she expanded her work to include health, nutrition, economic empowerment, sanitation and land rights.
The SKVS has now reached out to 112-gram panchayats across 126 communities in Kushinagar and Gorakhpur, imparting vocational education and skill development among girls. Mainstream education, bridge courses for the dropouts and skill development programme run by SKVS have impacted the lives of over 25,000 children and youths among the Musahar, Dalit and Muslim communities.
Reeta has also helped people in the Musahar community to secure land rights, ending decades of oppression for many who worked as landless labourers. “In 2007, I got a fellowship from Dalit Foundation. With many grants amounting to Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, I had consolidated my organisation by 2008,” she says.
Reeta funded education of girls from the Musahar community, one of whom, Nitu Bharti, is now working as a Central Manager in the One Stop Centre scheme of the UP government. Bharti successfully completed her masters in social work. “I have worked with her for a decade. She has supported me in every possible way. She partly funded my post graduation from her own savings,” says Nitu.
The SKVS has also helped the government identify and register beneficiaries of welfare schemes. Since 2013, the organisation has enrolled 15,118 students in mainstream education, 2,879 students from minority communities have received help in bridge courses and 624 students have received vocational training.
Widening horizon of her social works
Reeta Kaushik’s conviction about girls’ education made her register Samudayik Kalyan Evam Vikas Sansthan in 2003. Initially, she focused on primary education but expanded her work to include health, nutrition, economic empowerment, sanitation and land rights. SKVS has also helped the government identify and register beneficiaries of welfare schemes.
Honoured for her exemplary service
Reeta has also helped people in the Musahar community to secure land rights, ending decades of oppression for many landless labourers. Facilitated by SKVS, 18 women Self Help Groups work with seed investment of Rs 1 lakh to engage in animal husbandry. For her efforts, Reeta Kaushik received the Confederation of Indian Industry Exemplar Award in 2021.