Hena Begum, our fellow from Barak Valley, Assam,

is not only a teacher and a principal but also a visionary dedicated to providing education to the students of her beloved district, Karimganj. Despite facing challenges, she remains steadfast in her commitment, exemplifying her belief that "Education shouldn't be delayed" under any circumstance.

Throughout her life, Hena has shouldered numerous responsibilities in her academic journey, fostering a deep interest in leadership and politics. Despite familial expectations for her to pursue a government job through competitive exams like Assam's Teacher Eligibility Test, she pursued her own path. Rejecting the notion of working under someone else's authority, she defied her parents' wish to get married and hold a stable job, and pursued a Master's in Education along with a diploma in journalism. She financed her education by simultaneously working as a teacher, embodying the principle of earning while learning, which serves as an inspiration to us all.

She has not only stood for herself but has also provided livelihood to numerous other women. All the teachers employed in her school are women because she wishes to see women being financially independent. Her wish to work for the rights and representation of women led her to join the field of politics. She fought the assembly election of Indian Youth Congress as the only female candidate against five men and ascended to the position of Vice President. Her inspiration are women like Sharifa Rehman and Noirita Jaishukla whom she met while working. At times, she wanted to help people in need but couldn’t due to lack of money. She said she has been able to help a number of people, even if by little means when her financial condition improved after joining the fellowship.

She says. “I am proud of whatever I have achieved so far and I give the credits to myself because very few women are able to do this given the lack of support from family, financial dependence and societal expectations.” She wishes to represent women in politics so that she could relieve them from the shackles of domestic violence and help them reach a state where they can independently make decisions for themselves without worrying about anything. When asked about what she aims to do with this fellowship, she replies by saying, “There shouldn’t be just one Hena, I wish to support hundreds of Hena to fight for their rights and assert their own value.”