A story of grit: Meet Jotsna Khod whose husband killed himself over farm debt

Jotsna’s story

“My mother is a helper in Anganwadi. She also works in our farm along with my father. She wanted me to study and I enjoyed school. I topped in Class 10 in my school in 2010,” Jotsna said.

“However, my parents got me married as my aunt sought my hand for her son. The Xth board results came after my wedding. I received a prize of Rs 700 and my teachers requested my family that I should continue my studies. But my mother-in-law put me to work on the two acres the family owns as hiring labours was costly,” she added.

“But I insisted with my husband Dadasaheb Khod and took admission for 11th in 2011-12 and did study whenever I could get time. And I did pass. Around the same time, I got pregnant and thus my further education got discontinued due to my pregnancy, later birth of my kid and his upbringing,” she said.

Farming was never profitable since her marriage. “My husband had always to take loans now and then for farming. We could get food twice a day as we produce it at farm. Otherwise life has been pretty difficult and challenging. Meanwhile three years ago, I gave birth to second son,” she added.

Faced with mounting losses, Jotsna’s husband migrated to Pune and became a labourer with a company for Rs 10,000 a month. Jotsna also joined a small company for Rs 8,000. They saved some money, but Jotsna was unaware of the Rs 2 lakh loan.

During a trip to the village in March 2017, she was shocked to learn that the two acres were mortgaged to a money lender as collateral for a loan of around Rs 3 lakh. On 28 March, her husband went to the farm, not to return. When he didn't take calls on his mobile phone after several tries, Jotsna went to the farm only to find his body hanging from a tree. Her world came crashing down.

The aftermath

“I shifted to my parent’s house with the kids; survival was not an issue there due to my mother’s job. My husband didn't even leave me with the chance to mourn him as I had to repay the loan and get the farmland back and also raise the two kids,” Jotsna said. 

“Within two months of his death, I joined Nath Junior College, Beed. There was no way I could attend college: the toddlers needed my physical presence,” she added.

“Within three months of my husband’s death, I took a basic computer course – things like Tally, DTP etc -- and fortunately landed a job as an administrator in the office of Swabhimani Shetakari Sanghatana in Beed,” she said.

“You see, to study or work is not a problem. Problem is to leave home within a few days after the death of a man in the house. People start gossiping that the woman doesnot have a heart and she has started to hang around. But nobody comes forward to help you financially or even for mental support. That is the problem all farmers’ widow face,” Jotsna said.