Discovering herself
Not too
long ago, this braveheart was struggling with fears of a mediocre life, as a
young teen studying in an all-girls’ college in Nagpur.
“I did not talk to
anyone, participate in competitions, or study. That can easily be called one of
the darkest phases of my life” she
says.
This
was in stark contrast to how she had been while at school. Although not very
good at studies, she had always been actively involved in extracurricular
activities, participating and winning most competitions.
“I could not allow myself
to slip into oblivion. I decided I had to change”
The dream of donning a uniform
“This was the turning point of my life.”
The NCC helped her discover an untapped adventurous streak, and
she decided to apply for the armed forces. After completing her graduation,
Harshini applied to quite a few colleges and courses but ended up pursuing an
MBA. Her sights, however, were still on
joining the armed forces, and she had simultaneously started preparing for the
exams.
She was
not very happy studying for the MBA and began applying to various other
courses. Around the same time, she applied to a fire engineering course on the
insistence of a friend who had learnt about the course through an employment
portal.
One
day, she got a call from her father, who told her a telegram in her name had
arrived. It was from the National Fire Service College in Nagpur. She had got
through!Although it was no mean achievement, Harshini’s parents were
apprehensive.
“Nobody knew about this
college, and what the course was all about.”
The ONLY girl
But they soon learnt that
the college was the only of its kind in all of Southeast
Asia, and was run by the Home ministry. Harshini
had put in a lot of hard work to get through. It was a UPSC style examination
with only 30 seats up for the grabs. And soon, she was going to be the first
girl to ever study there!
After
studying in an all-girls’ college for five years, she was now going to be
studying in a college full of boys. It was not going to be easy. The seven-semester course in fire engineering required
the students to live in residence, so special provisions had to be made for
Harshini.
. She had to change
into different uniforms for each drill and be present in time. While her
classmates went to their hostels, which were located on the campus, she had to
go home. The schedule was gruelling. But she had to keep at it.
Being a
girl in an only boys’ college sure got her a lot of popularity, but it also put
her under a lot of pressure to perform.
“All the boys in my
college used to ridicule me because of all the media attention and publicity I
was receiving. According to them, I was doing nothing different. What they
failed to understand that it was not about Harshini Kanhekar, the person, but
more about a girl breaking into a male bastion, and doing what no one ever
had.”
Dealing
with heavy water hoses, suction hoses, and mock drills with dummies, the course
was difficult for everybody who was taking it. But Harshini had additional
challenges to take on.
“As I was the first girl
to be taking up the course, there were a lot of expectations. I could not
afford to make mistakes because my performance would set the tone for how girls
would be perceived in this field.”
Her
first fire situation was a cylinder blast in Shirdi during her practical year
at college, where she was required to work in fire stations. Ever since, she
has always been on the lookout for larger fires.
“I always used to ask my
station commander when I will get to douse big fires.”
Before joining ONGC in 2006, Harshini has helped douse several big
fires in Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Her
longest operation was in Delhi when a tin factory caught fire, and she along
with others, had to fire fight for six hours at a stretch. As a part of her
service, she has also rescued civilians during floods, building collapses,
wildlife attacks, and river swelling.
After joining ONGC, she was posted at the company’s Mehsana
station, where she was in-charge of one of the three fire stations. “I
am fortunate to have had supportive parents, great instructors, and now,
employers who have always stood by me.”
Harshini’s success story is a great example for
everybody who is looking to do what no one ever has. She has shown us what
courage and hard work, when combined together, can achieve. As she continues to
make us all proud, she has something to say to the government’s policy makers
and management of educational institutions and corporates.
“Don’t assume that any
job is unfit for someone purely on the basis of gender. The women of today are
flying fighter jets, fighting fire, and doing the unthinkable. It doesn’t imply
that we couldn’t do it ten years ago. Ability should only be judged on the
basis of qualification and not gender.”
#HARSHINI KANHEKAR
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