Former Sarpanch Who Put Women’s Names on Every Door

Punjab’s story of local governance is the one that reverberates with women’s empowerment, women’s leadership and questions patriarchy. In 2022, the AAP government in Punjab made a concerted effort to do away with the widespread practice of male proxies in Panchayats headed by women. This move encouraged women to come out of the shadows of their husbands as well as the confines of their homes and actively participate in the political space. With 50% seats reserved for women, Punjab had 4,627 women sarpanches in 2024 (PIB, 2024).

Sheshandeep Kaur Sidhu, a former sarpanch who led the initiative of empowering women through various means in Bhatinda’s small village, Manak Khanathat, set the momentum for redefining gender roles.

Service over Status

Sheshandeep Kaur stepped out of her village six-seven years ago and came to Delhi, with the aim to become an IAS officer. However, she was unsuccessful in her attempts and returned to her village in 2019. Her strong resolve to be a public servant then led her to become one of the first women sarpanches in her village. By doing so, she paved the path for gender equity.

One of her first initiatives as a sarpanch was to build a library in the village. This was symbolic of the change Sheshandeep wanted to bring about in her village, by building a structure that would lead to the growth of human capital, contrary to just building physical infrastructure. This also emphasised the crucial role of education, which she felt was necessary for the holistic development of the inhabitants.

She also took the initiative to get a park designed, keeping women and children in mind. In an otherwise conservative village where women worked tirelessly day and night, leisure was not even a subject talked about. This initiative brought women out of their four walls, normalised leisure time, helped them connect with others, and mostly connect with themselves.

One of her most groundbreaking initiatives, however, was to introduce nameplates bearing the name of the woman of the household to be displayed outside the homes these women belonged to. This project won her considerable accolades and enhanced women’s dignity and recognition. Her initiative led to around 110 households in the village proudly bearing the name of the woman of the house.

Leadership that lasts

Seshandeep Kaur’s story is a reminder of the systemic changes that women can bring about if a little faith is held in them. Seshandeep’s term as Sarpanch ended in 2024, but her determination to work for the upliftment of the women in her village never stopped. She has currently been working on a skill development project to train women in stitching and spread computer literacy to marginalised women in the village, thus opening more avenues for employment for them.

References

1. “Punjab Bans Sarpanch proxies” (Indian Express, 2022)
2. “Practice of Proxy Representative” (PIB, 2024)
3. “The IAS aspirant fights Punjab sarpanch poll to save village school, wins” (TOI, 2019)
4. “In Punjab, women call the shots” (Indian Express, 2024)
5. “Ex-Sarpanch’s Clever Nameplate Idea Is Giving Women a Voice in This Punjab Village” (thebetterindia, 2024)