By Sonali Desai
Late American politician Geraldine Ferraro was spot-on when she averred, “Some leaders are born women.” Lokadarshan salutes every woman playing versatile roles in her life, the ones who are taking small actions to make a big impact. We grabbed a few minutes with six women in Belgaum to learn more about their life journeys, their career paths, and the advice they’d share with others.
Nagratna Sunil Ramagouda, Founder of Ashraya Foundation
Living with HIV for 22 years now, Nagratna is an embodiment of hope amid negativity. She started her NGO four years after she contracted HIV in a bid to help others.
In a husky and strained voice she says, “I was a victim of child marriage. Within five months of my marriage, I got to know that my husband is HIV+. Then I too was infected. I knew my battle had just begun. I’ve faced a lot of harassment from both society and family. I was very weak mentally and physically but one day I decided to walk out. I started my own NGO along with Archana Padmannavar and Pramila Kadroli and since then, there is no looking back. Today, ours is the only NGO in Karnataka that supports women who are aged 18+ with HIV.”
She says women need to realise that harassment of any kind is unacceptable. “So many women I meet continue to suffer instead of getting out of it because of social stigma. Once you come out and work towards your goal, you make money, then everyone changes around you.”
The very relatives who’d earlier avoid her now invite her and her son for functions. Nagratna doesn’t hold any grudge towards them. In a hearty tone, she recalls, “I was told by one doctor that I’d die in three months and another doctor said I’d survive and I can also give birth to a healthy child, which I did.”
Trupti Kamat, Photographer
Young, fierce and a go-getter, Trupti boasts of a rare combination of a modern woman’s sentiment and an old one’s wisdom. She started her career in photography in 2016 and has battled all kinds of stereotypes on the way.
“Photography is dominated by men. When I started, nobody took me seriously. It’s silly how people have notions that a woman can’t have careers in such fields. While I’m working, I’ve heard people say, ‘Can a girl take good wedding pictures?’ Some have even asked me, ‘Do you even make money as a photographer?’” From heavy equipment to the inevitable periods, she says life as a photographer is not always easy for her as woman but all said and done, this is a field of her choosing and for that reason alone, it is always worth it.
Ratnarupa Badami, Homemaker
She is cheerful, content and ever-smiling. Ratnarupa is not only a homemaker but also a proactive learner. She’s a former Mrs Belgaum, Hindustani classical singer and a passionate traveller. Can we deny that homemaking involves both arts and science, sometimes even mathematics? Not at all, in fact, it’s perhaps one of the most important jobs in the world.
“We are not housewives, we are homemakers. Homemaking is not rocket science but can sometimes get trickier than that. Every woman has her own formula to ensure that the family runs swimmingly, irrespective of the asteroids that keep bumping in. And yes, this job sometimes goes unnoticed, but I’m very lucky. I get appreciated as well,” she proudly says.
Neelam Porwal, Founder of Prowess and Creative Head at The Couch Story
Self-made is a quality that best describes Neelam. She has built her business single-handedly, right from getting her Mudra loan sanctioned to hiring people and designing concepts for home furniture.
“I started manufacturing sofas and other customised furniture with Prowess, which is a three-year-old sofa manufacturing factory in Belgaum. The Couch Story is our social media handle where we post details about our furniture and décor products. A brick and mortar store is in the offing on Bauxite road,” informs Neelam.
In her case, her father was supportive and he was the one who advised her to do things independently. While she hasn’t faced any discrimination at home, workplace dynamics are a bit different. “Dealing with labourers was challenging. They are not used to taking orders from a young girl. It took me about more than a year to change their perspective.”
Spurthi Mastiholi, doctor and Spiritual coach
A doctor who radiates optimism and energy, Spoorthi shares why women ought to stop and smell the roses.
“In this battle of equality, the biggest sufferers are women, because of multi-tasking. The stress and its related disorders are alarmingly increasing in women. It’s important to fight for our rights and also for equality but at the same time let us not compromise with our health,” Spoorthi says.
She is a doctor (MD in homoeopathy) with specialisation in psychotherapy. Currently, she is working as a research officer at JNMC, KLE University. Further, she has her own centre by the name Shivoham spiritual hub where she provides a unique combination of medical and spiritual treatment.
Tejashree Raviraj Patil, homebaker
Incredibly detailed birthday cakes such as this castle cake have made Tejashree quite famous around Belgaum city. It all started with small experiments during school days and all the credit goes to her mother, who gifted her the baking talent gene. Home baking as a serious profession happened to her when she wanted to spend time with her baby, due to which she had to quit her job at a sanitary company (owned by her father).
“It was on my daughter’s birthday when most parents loved the castle cake. They wanted me to bake for their kids as well. That’s how it all began. Today I get two-four orders per day. Some days, it is 10-12 cakes a day,” says the accidental baker.
She is forthright when it comes to gender equality. “Women are more superior than men in all aspects, we don’t need to be equal.”