USHA SHANKER, LUCKNOW

CATEGORY: UNIQUELY ABLED

Usha Shanker, 70, has been tirelessly working towards social causes since 1984. In 2012, she suffered partial paralysis (Cauda Equina Syndrome) due to which she is numb to urine/ stool and cannot walk properly, having poor sensation in her feet. This, however, has not deterred her from what she had been doing all her lifecatering to rural women and children.

In her capacity as Child Development Project Officer under the Ministry of Woman and Social Welfare, she overachieved targets for vaccination of women and children, elementary childhood education at the Anganwadi centres which were highlighted in her Annual Confidential

Reports. She was instrumental in getting TB eradicated from Siraiyya (a village in Sarojini Nagar) with the help of doctors from PHC and KGMC. Her centre, Semra (in Chinhat), was showcased to then prime minister Dewe Gowda during his Lucknow visit. She took voluntary retirement in 2006 to pursue her dream of teaching women and children of slums and rural areas. Her school provides education to rural children at very nominal costs and almost 30% children study free of cost. To amalgamate the children with the mainstream she has herself written English Conversation modules for each class and ensures smart classes for all children. She regularly counsels on issues ranging from female health and hygiene, skill development and empowerment has to be seen to be believed.