Key facts
- Ramabai Ranveer, a 47-year-old widow, won a 3km barefoot race in Maharashtra, India.
- She entered the race to win prize money to buy books and study materials for her two daughters.
- The prize money was 3,000 rupees ($31; £23).
- Ramabai's elder daughter, Pooja, also won a prize for finishing second in her age group.
- Ramabai has been the sole provider for her family since her husband died in 2012.
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed local officials to provide Ramabai with 50,000 rupees in financial assistance.
Ramabai Ranveer, a 47-year-old widow from Maharashtra, India, won a 3km community run barefoot to secure prize money for her daughters' education. Despite having no prior training or running shoes, her victory in the race, which offered 3,000 rupees ($31; £23), has sparked a wider debate about the state of India's education system and the sacrifices families make.
Videos of Ranveer's run quickly gained traction on social media and in newspapers, highlighting the challenges faced by many Indian families in affording education and secure career paths for their children. Ranveer's decision to run was motivated by her daughters' needs; one daughter struggled to afford books, and the other was preparing for a competitive government recruitment examination. Ranveer herself left school at 13 and has been the sole breadwinner since her husband's death in 2012, taking on various jobs including picking crops and processing turmeric.
The story has drawn attention from authorities, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directing local officials to provide Ranveer with 50,000 rupees in financial assistance. However, experts like Sukhadeo Thorat, former chairman of the University Grants Commission, point to systemic issues, stating that the family's struggle indicates that government education schemes are not adequately reaching those in need due to weak implementation.