Girl child

Education was the last thing on the minds of Mallahipurva villagers. Especially for girls, who were considered as just extra hands to support the family. But one girl, Gudiya, fought all odds and became the first one in her village to pass Secondary School. She did not stop at just this. She started a school for other kids in her own house and made sure they embraced the gift of education too. This is how she brought about the transformation.

Rekha Kalindi, an 11 year old girl, raised her voice against forced marriage. She was tortured and even starved by her mother but she didn't give up. Here's an excerpt from the book, The Strength to Say No: One Girl's Fight against Forced Marriage, that chronicles her brave actions and how she fought against everyone to continue her studies.

From politicians to celebrities and people across the globe, everyone came together and participated in the interesting initiative, which was kickstarted by a sarpanch in a Haryana village and has now become a worldwide trend after PM Modi's intervention.

While some girls give up on their dreams, some take a stand and educate themselves. Watch the thought provoking video on why girl child education is crucial.

Priya Pillai met Roja, a girl from rural Karnataka who fought against all odds to pursue her education. Not one to quit in the face of adversity, Roja was determined to follow her passion. Here is how this dedicated girl inspired Pillai.

Here is a beautiful and inspirational video by UNICEF India on the importance of the girl child and the vital role a father plays in her life. Extra points to the peppy music and lyrics!

Women do not wear a 'ghoonghat' anymore. Villagers rejoice the birth of a girl child and make sure she attends school. All this was made possible by Neelam, sarpanch of a small village, Chappar, in Haryana. Watch this video to know more about her amazing story of change and success.

Mamoon Akhtar is a man on a mission. The Samaritan Help Mission. Through this remarkable organization, he is changing the outlook for an entire area in West Bengal, bringing education, health, livelihoods and development to all the children, especially girls, living in the slums. Read how one man can open up a world of opportunities for people bereft of them until then.

Savitribai Phule may not be as famous as Mahatma Gandhi or Swami Vivekananda. But her impact on the liberation of the Indian woman has been no less spectacular or significant. One of the earliest crusaders of education for girls, and dignity for the most vulnerable sections of society - dalits, women and widows, Savitribai broke all the traditional shackles of 19th century India to herald a new age of thinking. She can be legitimately hailed as the mother of Indian Feminism. Read about her remarkable life of courage and initiative.

Amid all the depressing news we have been receiving of late on the state of the girl child in India, especially from the northern patriarchal states like Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, here are a few stories that give us hope. These are women, and also some men, who have adopted and cared for abandoned little girls despite their own dire conditions, and many times against the wishes of their family. This is courage and compassion in its purest form.