Village head in UP turns Padman, ensures girls don't drop out due to menstruation

LUCKNOW: When Mamta started skipping school in mid-session, and was soon followed by Pramila, village head Hari Prasad didn't appreciate it and wanted to stop them from dropping out.
Over next two months, he learnt that girls of his village were among a staggering 28 lakh girls who miss their school because of menstruation.

"The girls felt embarrassed for something which is the very basis of life," said Prasad who launched a battle against the mindset and became Padman to more than 35 girls in his village Khairahi.

Prasad's urge to help the girls got a boost when he became part of health department and Unicef's Project Garima to battle mindset barriers related to menstruation in Mirzapur, Jaunpur and Sonebhadra.

Hari Prasad started meeting parents of girls. "I told the fathers that if females do not have periods, no one would be born. This is the way nature has made them and this was not a matter to be ashamed of in any way," Hari told TOI.

The counselling worked and over 35 adolescent girls went back to school. Prasad also ensured providing sanitary pads to the girls for menstrual hygiene. "Health department stocked sanitary pads and ensured that they were given to girls," he said.

His proactive approach earned him the title of Padman.

"I have no idea about the movie but sometimes the young people call me Padman," said the father of two who regrets that he could not help his daughters when they were growing up.

UP government data shows that 60% girls missed school on account of menstruation and over 19 lakh girls eventually quit studies.