Pune: Ramabai Ranvir had never trained for a race before in the 47 years of her life. Back in her village of Potra in Hingoli district, she was a daily wage worker for several years, earning Rs100-200 per day. Last year, when her elder daughter Pooja Ranvir (22) expressed her desire to attempt recruitment to the police force, Ramabai found work as a cook in the same police recruit training academy in Ambajogai of Beed district, where her daughter was enrolled.Life went on for the widow, making over 200 chapatis daily for the academy’s aspirants and funding the education of her two daughters. Ramabai’s husband had passed away in 2012, leaving behind his wife and two girls.On Aug 28, Ramabai’s younger daughter, Arti Ranvir (20), called her to ask for some money for food and rent. The mother had none in hand, and slept with a heavy heart that night. When she woke up the next morning, she heard trainers in the academy rounding up aspirants into a bus to attend a running competition not too far away.Ramabai did not even know the distance of the race — all she heard was that there was Rs3,000 to be won. Money to send to Arti, and more money that could help pay for her daughters’ education, she thought.That morning, Ramabai ran 3km in her simple sari, half of it barefoot, and the motivated mother won.“I ran like my life depended on it when the flag was raised. At some point, I took off my slippers and ran barefoot because I was slipping. I don’t know how much time it took for me to cover the distance. I only stopped at the finish line,” Ramabai told TOI.“I am glad that they gave me Rs5,000 instead of Rs3,000 as the reward. I bought some new notebooks, pens and more for Pooja. The remaining money will be sent to Arti,” said Ramabai.She said, “Every month, I have to send Arti Rs5,000-7,000 in Nanded, where she stays to study. When she asked me for some funds on Friday, I told her I would send it, but had none. I was worried. She lives alone and needs money for food. There is no pain worse than that of not being able to take care of your children. So, the moment I came to know of the race and reward, I boarded that pickup vehicle, I had decided I would win, no matter what happened. I needed that money desperately.”Ramabai has exhibited this fearless spirit before, too. “I was a farm worker earning Rs200 per day, while my children studied in village schools. There were days when there was no work and hardly anything to eat. When Pooja said she wanted to try out for police recruitment, I didn’t know what to do or how to go about it. Some children from our village had cracked the exam after going to a centre in Ambejogai. I was scared and didn’t know anyone here. But Babasaheb Ambedkar has taught us to work hard and get educated. I boarded a train and came here,” she said.Datta Darade, who heads the Dnyanadeep Academy for police, military and para-military recruit training academy, where Ramabai works as a cook, said her story of struggle and determination had moved him. “We had enrolled her elder daughter free of cost and gave work to Ramabai as a cook, along with a room to stay at the academy. I was going to take my students to the marathon anyway, when she said she also wants to come along. I was honestly taken aback. I asked her: ‘What will you do there?’ She said, ‘I will run.’ I was surprised, but told her to tag along. I couldn’t believe it when she won in the above-30 age category,” he said.Pooja came second in the 18-30 age group race, and won Rs2,000. The contest was organised by Bharat Shikshan Prasarak Mandal (BSPM) in Ambajogai to celebrate its 75th anniversary.Deepak Phulari, principal in charge of Kholeshwar College, which operates under BSPM, said everybody present was surprised to see the unassuming Ramabai run. “I think she ran the distance in half-an-hour,” he said, lauding the effort.After the run, while most people celebrated, Ramabai was back at Dnyanadeep Academy at 10am, ready to work. “I earn Rs9,000 per month. I make 120 chapatis in the afternoon and again at night. This work gives me money and I get to feed hungry children, which is a blessing,” she said.Currently in her second year of a BSc in computer science, Arti said when Pooja called her to say their mother won a race, she was dumbstruck. “My mother studied till Std VII and then worked all her life, without even taking breaks when she was unwell. She used to get Rs100 for 7-8 hours of work when we were younger, which in later years became Rs200. Although we were always short on cash, she never compromised on our education. After my father’s death, nobody was there to help us, but she didn’t hesitate to send me to Nanded and put me in a private hostel for my studies. She works more than anyone I know, all for us. So, if she decided to win a race for her family, I am not surprised,” the proud daughter told TOI.Though she has been flooded with interview requests and congratulations in the aftermath of her feat, Ramabai has just one appeal. “My husband died 14 years ago, and I have been unable to procure his death certificate despite running around hospitals and govt offices. I am unable to apply for educational concessions for my daughters because of this. I need help to get these documents to help my children study further. I don’t want anything else. I just want my daughters to be educated, get jobs and stand on their own feet,” she said.
