RAMGARH: Ramgarh: For 32-year-old widow Kavita Kumari, the road to a govt job has suddenly become a little easier — and far more comfortable.When a video of her running barefoot in a sari went viral, it turned her quiet preparation for a government job into a story of determination.Kavita, who runs nearly 8km from her village to Ramgarh town every morning, is among hundreds of women preparing for the Jharkhand home guard recruitment drive. The state government has announced 284 posts, with the recruitment process scheduled from Oct 24 to Nov 5.She had initially come to Sidhu-Kanhu Ground to watch other home guard aspirants train. She soon joined them, running the 1.6km test in a sari and slippers. When the viral video was recorded, she was barefoot.Kavita initially took eight minutes to cover 1.6km. She has since brought her timing down to seven minutes.Now, after the video brought her wider attention, Kavita has returned for practice in a tracksuit, T-shirt and sports shoes gifted by Dumri MLA Jairam Mahto.The new shoes, she said, have given fresh momentum to her preparations. Kavita hopes to secure a home guard job to build a better future for her two children.At dawn, Sidhu-Kanhu Ground has become a training ground for women chasing the same opportunity. Some arrive in sportswear, while others, including Kavita, had been training in saris and slippers.The recruitment drive has added to their hopes, with 50% reservation for women and a separate 5% quota for widows and divorced women.A race held on Oct 2 drew nearly 2,500 aspirants. Sunita Kumari, 30, is among those who train in a sari. “Running in a sari is not uncomfortable,” she said, adding that women in villages are inspiring one another to take up the challenge.For Kavita, the viral barefoot run may have brought attention, but the goal remains unchanged: clear the physical test and secure a job that can help secure her children’s future.
