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Overcoming Obstacles and Inspiring Change: Insights from India's Top Female Teachers

April 23, 2025

Meet the Award-Winning Educators

In this episode, host Nikhil Nadiger speaks with three exceptional educators:

  • Asiya Farooqui: From Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Asiya faced early marriage and societal restrictions but persevered to become a teacher and advocate for education policy. She invests 15-20% of her salary into her school.
  • Seema Chaturvedi: From Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh (CG), Seema realized her childhood dream of becoming a teacher and is dedicated to nurturing the hidden talents of her students.
  • Kumari Guddi: From Kishanganj, Bihar (BR), Kumari focuses on girls' education and empowerment, working to develop leadership qualities in her students.

Early Challenges and the Path to Teaching

What inspired these women to choose a career in education? For many, it was a calling that began in childhood.

Asiya Farooqui grew up in a family of educators, with both parents and uncles working as teachers. "Since childhood, there was an atmosphere of teaching in the house," she recalls. This environment instilled in her a desire to teach, especially to help underprivileged children. However, Asiya's path wasn't easy. She was married early, after finishing high school, and faced restrictions from her in-laws. Despite these challenges, she continued her education, earning degrees in English Literature and Urdu Literature, as well as a basic training certificate. "I started feeling very depressed about whether I will raise a child, whether I will be able to study or whether I will be able to make any mark for myself," Asiya shares. Her father-in-law, a Padma Shri awardee, and her uncle, the Vice Chancellor of I. Aner Farooqui, served as inspirations.

Seema Chaturvedialso dreamed of becoming a teacher from a young age. "Even when I was a child, I used to look at my teachers with such a bag hanging on them...so I used to play like that," she says. Her father was also a teacher, further solidifying her desire to enter the profession. Seema married after her final year of B.Sc., and her husband and family supported her continued education.

Kumari Guddi grew up in a household where education was valued. Her mother was a teacher, and Kumari was fascinated by her role models. She also married early, at 17-18 years old, and had to balance her studies with joint family responsibilities. Despite these challenges, she remained focused on girls' education, driven by her awareness of the struggles they face.

These women had to do intermediate, under graduate, and graduate studies after getting married, showing how important it was for them to pursue their dreams even after all the challenges in the way.

Overcoming Obstacles as Female Teachers in India

Female teachers in India face unique challenges that can make it difficult to succeed. Some of these challenges include:

  • Societal Expectations and Family Responsibilities: There's often pressure to prioritize family over career, managing household chores, childcare, and teaching duties.
  • Limited Resources and Infrastructure: Government schools often lack the facilities available in private schools, requiring teachers to invest their own money to improve the environment.
  • Transportation Difficulties: Traveling long distances on scooters, especially in rural areas, can be unsafe and exhausting.
  • Societal Perceptions and Biases: Female teachers may be judged for their appearance or marital status, and have to constantly prove their worth.
  • Time Management: It can be difficult to find time for rest and personal well-being.
  • Unequal Treatment and Lack of Support: Female teachers may face interruptions, limited staff, and negative comments.

Asiya Farooqui recalls an incident where a male teacher questioned her husband dropping her off at a motivation program. "It is their support that makes it possible for us to reach there," she says, emphasizing the need for female teachers to rely on their own strength.

Finding Peace and Motivation

Where do these teachers find the strength to keep going? For Seema Chaturvedi, it's spending time with children and seeing their progress. For Kumari Guddi, it's seeing children from rural areas succeed and receive awards. All the teachers focus on working with dedication and loyalty, knowing that their efforts will be rewarded. They also try to get the kids selected for different activities at the district level.

Data About Teachers

According to Yada's portal, the education system in India includes approximately 9.8 million teachers. Of these:

  • 2.265 million are female teachers in government schools.
  • 2.476 million are teachers in private schools.
  • 2.7 million are male teachers in government schools.
  • 1.2 million are male teachers in private schools.