We all have heard uncountable times that life is a roller coaster, bearing its own ups and downs. But little do we realize that there are people out there riding on this endless, spine-chilling roller coaster of life. And while we catch the drops of inspiration sprinkling from their ride, we cannot deny the fact that their life becomes a thousand times riskier and more challenging. We are quick to pick buds of inspiration from their journey because they shut the scarier bits out of our view.
Today’s story is about one such woman of substance – Ananya Paul Tribal area activist, who is working for the adversity that jolted her for life.
A night that changed things forever
Ananya’s life turned upside down overnight when militants took her father hostage when she was pursuing her graduation. Revisiting the horrors of the night, Ananya recalls that the militants, aka the kidnappers, tortured her father for 4 to 5 days and rang up his business associate to ask for ransom. During all this, her father took a firm and bold stand for his values and didn’t budge. The glimmer of sunshine shone when, one day, the kidnappers were inebriated. Grabbing the opportunity, Ananya’s father ran 50 kilometers before he reached the nearest railway station and hopped on a train back home.
This incident scars the entire family for a lifetime, affecting Ananya’s father the most. His health became fragile which resulted in multiple heart attacks. Though he recovered with time physically, his mind was already dented with the scars of that night.
Working for the cause that changed her life
Though Ananya Paul Tribal area activist was deeply affected, she decided to unearth the causes of her father’s kidnapping. It was then that she found herself working as a tribal rights activist for the rehabilitation of militants in Assam. Hailing from Guwahati, Assam, Ananya was well familiar with the local tribal community. Hence, she began actively working to find ways for uplifting the tribals in her community without any further delay. While doing so, she made an effort to rehabilitate those who had resorted to militancy due to external compulsions. Ananya graduated with a degree in criminal psychology from Kolkata University, which equipped her with an additional edge!
Ananya started working as a consultant in the field.
The period not only kick-started Ananya’s career but blossomed blooms of love in her life too. In 2002, Ananya met her to-be husband, Abhishek whom she married three years later and settled in Hubballi, Karnataka.
Even after Ananya shifted to Hubballi with her husband, she continued to excel in her career. Hence, she traveled back and forth to the northeast to better the lives of the tribals. Backed by her husband, Ananya also started working for the Sinddhis and Kumbis – the local tribes of Karnataka’s Kannada district. However, this only meant that Ananya traveled to the northeast every fortnight.
The spine-chilling possibility
Every time Ananya Paul Tribal area activist steps out of her house, a sense of fear of losing his mother grips her young boy. And he expresses that he only wishes to see his mother back home in one piece!
Talking about her on-the-job experience, Ananya says that rehabilitation is a strenuous job. It requires a certain level of expertise to deal with people who are the victims of “brainwashing” to lead them back on the right path. She further says that even after turning their back from militancy, the militants have to live with the society’s persistent negative stigma. And, if they don’t land jobs that meet their ends, they’re prone to getting back to militancy. While Ananya had dedicated her life to a noble cause, people around her were skeptical.
Stronger with her husband’s support
While everyone around her taped their doubts on her determination, her husband had her back. He reminded Ananya that love has the power to change even the staunchest of beliefs. All she needed to do was be consistent and wait for the magic concoction to do its wonders!
Soon after, Ananya Paul Tribal area activist started crowdfunding. Many generous like-minded people donated for the cause and, in no time, Ananya set up a school with a community hall! What was historic is that there was also a changing room for girls, which allowed them to attend school during the rainy season or when they were on their period.
Accolades and awards
Clearly, Ananya is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeves and her heart is what helps her connect with her community. Keeping up with her unique thoughts, Ananya is also a patent holder for a biodegradable sanitary napkin. She flies around the country, holding workshops and teaching women to make their own pads. Hence, this self-sustenance also brings about a sense of financial freedom. To date, Ananya has impacted the lives of around 20,000 people in the field. In their initial days, the couple self-funded all their initiatives. However, in 2017, their efforts took shape of a registered nonprofit organization- Saksham Foundation.
Ananya Paul Tribal area activist beams with pride as she recalls that her greatest support comes from her volunteers who help her in distributing the resources she gathers. When cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the Sunderbans region, the foundation distributed groceries and essentials to about 10,000 people!
Another misery
Just when Ananya’s work was bringing a positive change in the world around, a tragic dark cloud burst over her.
She was gunned down by militants back in 2014 and dragged for miles to a forest where she was left to die. Recalling the horrors of the night, Ananya tells that she was shot in her shoulder and knee and abandoned into the forest. Following this, she fell unconscious and thought that she’d not make it alive. However, like a ray of hope from behind dark clouds, the Indian Army rescued her. Ananya tells us that the same people who once doubted her, now honor her with the title ‘Maa’. Ananya believes that one’s circumstances mold one into the kind of person one grows up becoming. Hence, no one emerges from the womb as a criminal. She believes that the right amount of love and timely counseling can help to change them.
Life during the pandemic
Talking about her time during the pandemic, Ananya Paul Tribal area activist reveals that the pad-making-turned-mask-making units kept the women occupied, giving them no time to ponder over militancy. She tells us that the unit has already produced 30,000 masks in the tribal belt. However, consolidating funds for her efforts has been quite a task. In addition to the donations, Ananya uses almost 95% of her consultation fees for her community. The region, Ananya tells, has been relatively safe from the spread of the coronavirus as there was limited movement of people.
Given all that Ananya has done selflessly for her community, she is no less than a soldier (minus the uniform) on duty. Ananya’s recent work of goodwill includes introducing education in the remote villages of Nagaland and Mizoram and assisting the tribals of West Bengal in making handloom products. Ditching an extraordinary setup, all Ananya needs for her work to take off is a structure. “Be it a temple or a community hall, what matters is the deed we have gathered for.” Once, Ananya and her team gathered a bunch of kids under the banyan tree.
Key to end discrimination in India
On the discrimination against the people of the northeast, Ananya shares, “When people of the region travel to other parts of the country, they restrict themselves to those of their state or community.” “Likewise,” Ananya continues, “when people from other Indian states travel to the northeast, they feel a sense of disconnect due to their physical features.”
According to the young fiery tribal activist, such perceptions need to transform to give birth to a collective feeling of being “Indian”. Ananya’s noble work has gathered applause from all over the world. In 2019, she was conferred with the Global Civilian Honour by the international confederation of NGO (iCONGO).
About iCONGO
iCONGO is a program, supported by the United Nations, to enable the birth of millions of global change leaders. Though Ananya was honored by the facilitation, she also felt that the bar of responsibility was now a notch higher. She emphasized the fact that it isn’t only about her job which is risky. It is also working for the country yet working all alone. Ananya lives with hypertension and believes that God forbid, if something happens to her, the government will deny ownership of her corpse.
Up and onwards…
Ananya is preparing for her next project which will take off after the pandemic eases out a little. The project involves developing a digitized village nestled in West Karbi Anglong. This will, however, be a trial and will be implemented all across the country if deemed a success!
Ananya’s story jolts every cell of our being, making us proud of such noble souls transforming the world! Ananya’s story is a ray of hope to continue striving for betterment even in adversity. It inspires us to make life a tad bit less harsh for those around us.
Our Storyteller:
Kavya Mukhija is a student of Psychology, a writer, a calligraphy artist, and a creative content creator. She loves traveling and exploring new places. Always dressed with a smile, she considers spreading happiness a good deed. Last and least, she is a woman with a disability. She believes that more than the ‘disability,’ it is the negative perception towards ‘disability’, which is disabling. Reach out to her at Linkedin.
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