Married at eighteen, and a mother of four by the age of twenty-five, the story of my mother needs to be told.
My father was a self-made man who had to take care of the financial needs of his unmarried sister, family, and most often of the people in his native village whenever there was a requirement. This required some adjustment from my mother.
In between her children and her chores, she pursued her passion
His transferable job in the banking sector ensured that Ma travelled with him every two years to various towns in Assam. In her spare time, between her children and household chores, Ma took up knitting and crocheting orders. This was a hobby and also helped her gain financial independence.
A reader and a writer
Ma has always been a vivid reader and a writer. She pursued and completed BA in Hindi literature when her children were in Elementary and Middle school. Books would be found in the kitchen, on the shelf, near the gas and on the dining table. She read while she cooked. She read while she fed her children. Her passion for literature and writing made her a participant and a contributing member of the Assam Writers Association. She published articles, short stories, and poems in major state journals, and newspapers. Ma published her first novel, a translation from Hindi to the Assamese language when her children were in school. She would wake up at 4:00 am to write the manuscripts, while the rest of the day was kept for her family. My dad would proofread her manuscripts. To date, she has published five books all by herself.
A social worker
Ma is also a social worker. She continues to support her female friends, colleagues, and relatives morally and financially.
Drama and recitation are her passion
She has also performed on the stage. Writing and poetry recitation is her forte. In 2012, at age of 63, she started taking Spoken English Classes in order to learn to speak English. This was for her visit to the USA. During her one-month stay in the USA, she attended English-as-Second Language (ESL) classes at the local library. Unlike others, she was more enthusiastic to visit the library than seeing the places around her.
A career at forty!
At age of forty, Ma started her career as an agent at the Life Insurance Agency (LIC) of India to financially support my dad and the family. Very soon she fell in love with her work. It’s been more than thirty years and she is still passionately continuing her work.
During her initial days, she started reaching out to people by walking, in a rickshaw, or sometimes in an auto for home-to-home insurance. In those days, it was not common for homemakers to explore the outside world for business purposes. But Ma did exactly that. Gradually, she established a name for herself. She set an example that women can do what men can.
Ma trains and supports more than twenty women. She is a member of the LIC Chairman’s Club. LIC has more than 12 lakh agents and such an honour is bestowed upon those who are successful and consistent in their performance. It involves on her part, continuous and consistent performance, and good service to her clients, thereby ensuring customer satisfaction. She has to work throughout the year and keep herself updated with all information related to new insurance products and service-related information. This helps provide better service to the policyholders and retain customers.
She is also a Chief LIC Adviser, qualified to help choose the right policy as per customers’ needs.
Ma fought all kinds of societal odds when she started working as an insurance agent. People called her names. They spread rumours about her. But she remained undeterred. For she loved and respected her work. Many other women who have seen Ma’s progress, have started believing in themselves.
Tech savvy at the age of seventy!
Using technology to give better service is imperative. Ma knows how to put technology to good use. She trains herself to gather knowledge about upgraded technology.
An inspiration to many!
Ma has received many laurels. Her interviews are an inspiration to many women and society at large. A septuagenarian, Ma pays her own bills and always keeps herself abreast of the latest developments around her. Battling the negativities around, Ma has changed the perception of insurance agents. She continues hosting and attending training and seminars to upscale her knowledge.
Her mantra!
Extremely hardworking and a strict disciplinarian with even stronger time-management skills, her mantra is, ‘Time is money and do not compromise leading a life; lead an extraordinary life on your own terms.’
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