Growing up in Haryana, Neeru Yadav harbored a deep passion for hockey, a sport that tugged at her heartstrings. Yet, family priorities led her down a different path, away from her dreams of the hockey field. Today, she’s renowned as the ‘Hockeywali’ Sarpanch, a title that symbolizes her remarkable journey of nurturing young hockey talents and challenging gender stereotypes in Lambi Ahir village, Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district.
A Vision of Equality on the Hockey Field
On most days, you’ll find Yadav on the field alongside a group of determined girls, encouraging them to give their all. Occasionally, she joins them in dribbling and shooting, igniting their passion for the sport. These girls are rewriting the narrative, defying traditional norms and stereotypes to embrace hockey as their own. “We now have a group of 2-25 girls playing hockey regularly. Some have even reached the district and state levels and are training for national selections,” says Yadav, who assumed the role of the village’s first female sarpanch in October 2020.
Empowering Dreams through Sport
Yadav’s journey towards empowering young girls through hockey began when she learned of their aspirations to represent the country in the sport. Unwilling to let their dreams wither, she embarked on a mission to convince their parents to permit them to pursue their hockey dreams. “Initially, there was no ground for the girls to play. We started using the ground of a nearby private university. I also decided to allocate my salary to form the team and hire a coach to train these girls. Eventually, we managed to secure a dedicated ground within the village,” she shares.
A Journey of Education and Transformation
Despite holding an MSc degree in Mathematics and degrees in BEd and MEd, Yadav was a homemaker in Lambi Ahiri when she decided to contest the sarpanch election. Her knowledge of local governance was limited, but her passion for community service and giving back drove her to take the plunge. Her first initiative was establishing a Farmers’ Producers Organization (FPO) to empower farmers, offering them access to resources, better prices, and government schemes. This initiative brought a much-needed change by freeing farmers from high-interest moneylenders.
Championing Development and Progress
Under Yadav’s leadership, the village saw the launch of a skill development program for girls through the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) Scheme, enabling them to find employment opportunities in Jaipur. Collaborating with the State Bank of India (SBI), she educated women about financial schemes like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and guided them in using UPI on their mobile phones.
Yadav also introduced a waste-free wedding program, establishing a ‘utensil bank’ to provide stainless steel utensils for community events and reduce single-use plastics. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were formed for various projects, and initiatives like soak pits, rainwater harvesting, and road construction transformed the village.
Reshaping Perceptions: A Woman in Power
As a female sarpanch, Yadav faced the formidable challenge of redefining leadership in a male-dominated setting. Her entry into the role stirred egos and discomfort, as the image of a male sarpanch typically dominated village decisions. However, her commitment and tangible results gradually earned her acceptance. She believes that women’s reservations in local governance are a positive step forward, aiming to eradicate the phenomenon of “sarpanchpatis,” where husbands usurp their wives’ positions.
A Vision for the Future
With two years left in her term, Yadav envisions a transformative future for Lambi Ahir. Her dream includes the construction of a village stadium, a library for women to prepare for competitive exams, and, most importantly, seeing the village’s young girls excel in hockey on the national stage.
The Hockeywali Sarpanch’s Legacy
Neeru Yadav, the ‘Hockeywali’ Sarpanch, is a testament to the power of passion, dedication, and the determination to drive change. Her journey from deferred dreams to empowering girls through sports and governance stands as an inspiration for communities everywhere.
