Bhubaneswar, Feb 14: While a tribal mother from the remotest area of rural Odisha, has stood iconic for her substantial step at the Raisina Hills as Nation’s first citizen, foul casteism & untouchability have yet been impervious barriers between a motherly teacher and toddlers in Kendrapada.
Achieving uncommon,President of India Droupadi Murmu, emerged as a global figurine for her motherly attitude. However, an ostracised Anganawadi helper who is Dalit by birth, was recently a matter of discussion in the Rajya Sabha, centering her struggle of life at her workplace.
The matter involving foul casteism and heinous untouchability prevailing in Odisha, dropped silence in the Upper House, as it was flagged by AICC President & LoP Mallikarjun Kharge on the floor.
Kharge raised the matter on how one Sharmistha Sethi, a SC girl, struggles at the Nuagaon Anganwadi centre, being posted as an assistant-cum-cook at the Early Childhood Education & Care facility, for her birthing in a community, considered a lower caste.
Kharge expressed concern over Sharmistha’s ordeal, on how all the enrolled toddlers are kept away from her, and how the expectant and lactating mothers hesitate to receive free foodstuffs and eggs from her hand, as she belongs to a lower caste.
Sharmistha Sethi, a graduate from the Nuagaon village under Ghadiamal Panchayat in the Kendrapara district, was searching for an employment. Meanwhile, she applied for the post of Anganwadi-Assistant in the Nuagaon Anganawadi Centre, for her weakness towards teaching. To her goodluck, she achieved it as a single applicant for the post and joined on November 2025.
The very next day Sharmistha, donned with an ettiquette uniform stepped to her new workplace with a hope that, she will act as a virtual mother, of as many as 20 toddlers, to whom she will care, nourish and norture with good manners. However, it was in vain as not a single guardian, parents or toddlers stepped into the facility, that’s the gateway of Early Childhood Education & Care, provided free of cost.
According to Sarmistha, she was absolutely boycotted and the toddlers were forbidden to come join the play-way approach of learning in the center, and even avail the nutritional supplements meant for the children.
Apart from it, the women beneficiaries under the Mamata Yojna, also denied to receiving Satu, eggs and medications, provided to expectant and post-delivery women to fight anemia and fatigue.
It was all due to the foul casteism and inharmoniousness of the villagers, alleged Sharmistha, knocking district administration’s door.
According to report, the Nuagaon Anganawadi center, has fallen shut for almost three month, following Sethi’s appointment. On the other hand, as many as twenty grooming champs, remain exempted from early childhood care, essential education and nourishing nutrients, despite all logistic supports to the center.
On being informed the district Collector Kendrapada ordered for a probe. Acting on it, the CDPO visited the center and took stock of the matter.
As of now, the center is opened on working days where Sharmista sits soletarily at the entrance of the facility, waiting for children & women beneficiaries. However, no one turns up to avail the welfare government’s precious interventions that’s gifted as feebies.
On the other hand, the learned girl spends sleepless nights with her first job that was availed uncontested, for the alleged humiliation, demeanor and the low-look of her nearest society.
