Lalitha, a 32-year-old police constable, stands tall amid the hustle and bustle of City life.  The Kodigehalli native has been serving as a police constable for nine years.

The daughter of a farmer, Lalitha has remained unmarried to fulfil her responsibilities as the eldest among four siblings. She paid for the education of her two brothers and helped them set up a business. Lalitha also paid for the wedding of her younger sister. She said the biggest struggle of her life was to complete her education without anyone’s support.

“Barely anyone supported me. I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees with great difficulty. I worked hard to get a well-paying job so that I can support my siblings to get education,” Lalitha said. She expressed her wish to get married if she finds a groom who can support her.  On International Women's Day, Lalitha advocates for a societal shift, urging men to recognise and celebrate women's efforts daily.

“Why should women be treated and celebrated only on birthdays or women’s day? The work of women is always undervalued, especially homemakers. Men of the house comfortably say ‘What were you doing all day’. This is not right. If family members are supportive, women can achieve great things.”