I Want To Change The Perception Of Women In Society

Aggrim is from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. She joined VidyaGyan, an institution of Shiv Nadar Foundation, in 2011.

I come from a village where mindsets are narrow and not open to change. People believe that boys are born to work in the fields and girls are supposed to get married as soon as possible. I was made aware of this unfortunate reality when my own mother was hesitant about letting me attend VidyaGyan. My father stepped in and his confidence in my capabilities allowed me to take this leap of faith. Once I started attending VidyaGyan, I realized that this is what I want to change about our society; a skewed perception towards women and men. Knowledge is the only key to unlocking our potential, and I want to join the IAS and change the system from within. I am lucky that I have a father who believed in my dreams and supported me the entire way through.

*VidyaGyan is a Leadership Academy, designed for the economically underprivileged, meritorious students of rural India. Established in 2009, VidyaGyan envisions bridging the urban-rural divide by creating leaders from India’s rural hinterland who can act as catalysts of change for their communities, villages, and the nation. To know more, visit www.VidyaGyan.in