Rekha (Petlad, Gujarat), Dalit ASHA worker

Rekha was a 34-year-old Accredited Social Health Activist from a Scheduled Caste community posted in Sihol village in Petlad block of Anand district, Gujarat. She held a higher secondary education and was described by her immediate supervisor, the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), as a fast learner deeply committed to community health care. Despite her competence and dedication, her Dalit caste identity became the primary lens through which upper-caste community members viewed her capability to provide health services.

In 2012, while visiting a Patel family home to conduct routine health monitoring of a newborn, Rekha was subjected to explicit untouchability practices. A family member told her: "You are a Harijan. Your position is outside my house. Finish your work at the door." This rejection was particularly painful given that Rekha's grandmother-in-law had previously assisted the same household with childbirth services. The caste-based discrimination intensified over time: an upper-caste woman who had previously engaged with Rekha on friendly terms abruptly distanced herself once Rekha's caste identity became known within the community.

Rather than accept this disrespect, Rekha exercised agency and refused further home visits to those households, instead directing families to attend the primary health centre for services. She asserted: "I should get some respect. I am working for the government after all." Despite this discrimination, Rekha persisted in her work and built substantial community trust through her commitment and availability. Over time she became known as someone who was available to the community at all times. While continuing her ASHA duties, Rekha pursued nursing education and completed her course in General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM), further establishing herself as a dedicated health professional.