A Female Carpenter? "Why Not, My Daughter Will Break New Barriers," Said Her Dad

A 20 year old girl in Raigad is the district's first woman carpenter and together with her dad, the two are forcing the town's society to think progressively about working women. Meet Pragya Ganesh Lohan who learnt carpentry to take over her dad's business and dreams of opening a store in Mumbai city. With training and new skills, she is contributing to the house's financial income and shutting down doubters over 'girls can't do this'.

Bare feet and in a room full of tools, that's how Pragya gets started every morning in her dad's carpentry workshop after a short prayer to Lord Ganesh. She was 16-years-old when she started accompanying her father, 45, to the workshop and learnt making metal and glass doors and windows by watching him.

In an interview with SheThePeople, she said that her father had been running the business for over a decade when he started looking for a partner. He asked her if she would join him and she was delighted. "I couldn't believe it."

In Raigad, only men become carpenters. Pragya's story is unique on many counts. It speaks of her ambitions to be follow her dad's footsteps but also of her dad, who believes girls are no less than boys and can take up roles like that of a carpenter.

Initially it was not easy. Learning the basics of the work and managing studies, because Pragya wanted to complete her education. "I studied during the weekdays and assisted my father on the weekends." She later completed her school education and joined him full-time for the same.

Pragya working in her workshop with a drill

Parents' support

Her father Ganesh Lohan proudly tells everyone in Raigad that his daughter is excelling in a 'male-dominated field'. "He tells me that I work better than he does", she said adding that the work is physically tiring as it involves handling of heavy doors and windows but she has become used to it and likes it too.

People's reaction

But what about people who believe women deserve to only do certain jobs like cooking, stitching and so on? "A lot of people visit our workshop and express their disbelief seeing a girl working there but my parents have been very supportive", she tells adding that she has always been in her teachers' good books for her hard work and skills. Pragya says, she understands, it takes time to bring change. But now many people are used to her being at the workshop.

As she turned 20 this year, extended family members and friends have started coaxing her father to get her married. "Hume koi jaldi nahi hai," her dad tells them.

A step in the right direction

Pragya enjoys and feels empowered being a working woman. She is learning what it takes to build something and how the world operates. This real-life experience, she says, fills her with self-confidence.

She, however, also admits that it can be challenging for young women to build their identity since a lot of families belittle their daughters. What should they do in such a case then? She advises girls of her age to overcome their inhibitions, be vocal about their ambitions in front of their family members and prove their interest to work. By doing so, she believes, girls can achieve whatever they want to.

She takes pride in the fact that her family doesn't discriminate between sons and daughters unlike others who think that only a son can bring success and fame to the family.

Future plans

The father-daughter duo is now planning to expand their business by making and selling photo frames as well. She is looking forward to expand her business by opening a branch in Mumbai. She says that she has two younger siblings and this will help them in the future. On a personal level, Pragya shared that she is quite passionate about Mandala Art and aspires to become a Mandala artist one day. "More than anything, I want to give a good life to my parents", she signs off.

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