From Humble Beginnings to Deputy Speaker: The Inspiring Rise of Ruby Kumari

Janakpurdham. 25-year-old Ruby Kumari, a resident of Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City-14, Mujeliya, has been elected as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. She was elected as a member of the House of Representatives through the proportional representation system from the Shram Sanskriti Party.

Ruby received the responsibility of Deputy Speaker immediately upon entering parliamentary politics. Previously, she had worked as a social activist.

Ruby is the third daughter among six children of father Sogarath Thakur and mother Renuka. Born into an ordinary family, the story of her parents' tireless struggle lies behind this political leap.

• Father's struggle from brick kilns to salons and foreign employment

Ruby's father, Sogarath, used to work in brick kilns for a living. Later, he turned to his ancestral profession of running a salon. By cutting hair at the salon, he supported his eight-member family.

As the children grew up, it became difficult to support the family with the income from the salon. Consequently, he was forced to go abroad for work.

Sogarath returned to Nepal on leave from foreign employment just a few days ago. He is currently at his home in Mujeliya.

Sogarath said, 'I learned the news of my daughter becoming a proportional MP while I was abroad. Now that she has reached such a responsible and dignified position as Deputy Speaker, I am very happy.'

As soon as the Shram Sanskriti Party decided to make her a candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker on Thursday, Ruby called her father. 'The party has decided to make me a candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker,' Sogarath quoted Ruby as saying over the phone to Ratopati.

He said there was no limit to his happiness after his daughter told him this. Sogarath shared his joy with his family and relatives. On Thursday evening, neighbors came to Sogarath's house to congratulate him.

• Daughter of a simple home, big dreams

Ruby passed her SEE in 2074/075 from Shree Sohni Secondary School in Janakpurdham-14. After that, she completed a three-year diploma in engineering from a technical institute in Balara, Sarlahi.

Due to the weak financial condition of her home, she even worked at a Vastu Architecture Consultancy in Janakpurdham.

Speaking to Ratopati over the phone, Ruby said about her family background, 'Our ancestral home is in Mujeliya. It is a simple house built on a small piece of land. Mother farms on two bighas of land taken on sharecropping. We have a buffalo. All of us siblings help with that.'

She mentioned that her father sends 15-20 thousand rupees per month from abroad, and that money covers the household expenses.

'I have experienced what hardship is,' she said. She stated that she will now prioritize solving the problems of the people.

Pointing out the problems of Madhesh, she said she would take a leading role in policy-making against unemployment, dowry, child marriage, violence against women, and gender-based violence.

'It is my great vow to move forward by making laws from the parliament to stop the problems of daughters being killed or tortured day and night due to dowry,' she said.

Even while holding the responsibility of Deputy Speaker, she plans to continue her studies. 'I will continue my studies by managing time,' she said.

In Madhesh, families are in a rush to get daughters married once they reach the age of 25. However, Ruby is not thinking of getting married right now.

'I have been booked for the people for five years,' she said with a laugh, 'My priority is serving the people first, then I will think about marriage.'

Ruby's mother, Renu Thakur, is also happy with her daughter's achievement. She said, 'No one in our family had a political background,' she said, 'Ruby was active in social work since childhood. We are very happy that the party has given such a big responsibility. It is a big thing for a daughter of Madhesh, and that too from an ordinary family like ours, to receive such honor.'

• Ruby had social consciousness since childhood

According to Ward Chairman of Janakpur-14, Punya Pratap Yadav, Ruby was diligent and conscious since childhood.

He said, 'When Ruby was in class 9-10, she used to ask, why are daughters killed for dowry? Why isn't there a strict law for this? I was surprised to see such consciousness at that age.'

Local Sakila Devi also praises Ruby's social consciousness. She said, 'Ruby used to come to every house and advise girls to study and not to get married as children.'

Sakila Devi said she is very happy to hear the news that Ruby has reached such a high position today.