In the quiet, verdant valleys of Tripura’s Sepahijala district, where the hum of daily life is punctuated by the rhythm of paddy fields and the chatter of small markets, one woman has quietly scripted a revolution in education. Mariam Begum, a grassroots educationist with an unshakable resolve, has transformed the learning landscape for hundreds of underprivileged children, breaking cycles of poverty and despair with the power of literacy.
Born in a modest farmer’s family in the early 1980s, Mariam’s childhood was defined by hardship. Her parents valued education but could not afford more than the basics. She would often study under the dim glow of a kerosene lamp after helping her mother with household chores. The nearest government school was three kilometres away, and on monsoon days the muddy roads became nearly impassable. Yet, Mariam never lost her hunger for learning. With the encouragement of a few dedicated teachers, she excelled in her studies, earning a scholarship that allowed her to complete her higher secondary education.
After graduating from Tripura University with a degree in education, Mariam faced a life-defining choice: to seek a stable teaching job in a city or to return to her native village where dropout rates were high and child marriage was still prevalent. Her decision surprised many — she chose to return home. “I knew the challenges,” Mariam recalls, “but I also knew that if someone from our own community didn’t take the lead, nothing would change.”
In 2008, she started with just a handful of children in a thatched community hall, using old blackboards and second-hand textbooks collected from well-wishers. Her classes were free, aimed primarily at children of daily wage labourers, small farmers, and migrant workers who could not afford private tuitions. Over time, word spread. Mothers began bringing their daughters, convinced by Mariam’s patient teaching style and her emphasis on life skills along with academics.
Mariam’s approach went beyond textbooks. She integrated storytelling, folk songs, and local history into the curriculum, making learning relatable and enjoyable. She taught children how to write letters, calculate household expenses, and understand basic health and hygiene. Her lessons also included moral education, environmental awareness, and the importance of gender equality.
By 2012, Mariam had formally registered her initiative as the Udaan Learning Centre. The centre received small grants from local NGOs and community contributions in the form of food, mats, and building repairs. She also mobilised volunteer teachers — many of them her former students — to help with weekend classes and extracurricular activities. The dropout rate in her immediate community dropped by nearly 60% within five years.
One of her most impactful interventions was her “Second Chance Education” program for adolescent girls who had left school due to early marriage, domestic responsibilities, or financial constraints. She persuaded families to allow these young women to attend afternoon classes after their household chores. Several of them later passed their secondary board exams, some even going on to teacher training programs.
Mariam also recognised the need for parental involvement. She organised monthly “learning circles” with parents to discuss the progress of their children, address concerns, and spread awareness about the long-term benefits of education. These meetings often became spaces where social taboos were challenged from discouraging child marriage to encouraging girls’ participation in sports.
Her work caught the attention of the Tripura state education department, and in 2016 she was invited to be part of the State Advisory Group on Community Education. She used this platform to advocate for rural-friendly policies such as flexible school timings during harvest seasons and the inclusion of local dialects in primary education.
Mariam’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2018, she received the National Award for Women in Education from the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The recognition brought more media attention, leading to partnerships with national charities that provided digital learning tools and training for her volunteer staff. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools shut down, Mariam organised open-air classes with strict safety protocols and distributed printed worksheets to ensure learning continuity.
Today, the Udaan Learning Centre operates from a modest brick building with three classrooms, a small library, and a playground. It caters to over 200 children, offering classes from primary to middle school levels, as well as skill development workshops for youth. Many of her early students are now in college, and some have returned to work alongside her, creating a ripple effect of change.
When asked about her journey, Mariam smiles. “I didn’t set out to be a hero. I just wanted the children of my village to have the opportunities I fought for. Education is not just about passing exams it’s about giving people the confidence to dream and the skills to realise those dreams.”
Mariam Begum’s story is a powerful reminder that transformation often begins at the grassroots, with ordinary individuals who dare to act. In the remote corners of Tripura, where the odds seemed stacked against her, she has built not just a school, but a movement — one that continues to nurture hope, resilience, and a brighter future for generations to come.