Barefoot mother runs 3km in sari to fund daughters’ education, wins Rs3,000

A 47-year-old widow from Maharashtra has won widespread admiration after running a 3-kilometre race barefoot, dressed in a sari, driven by a simple goal — to help her daughter pursue her dream of becoming a government officer.

Ramabai Ranvir, originally from Potra village in Hingoli district, took part in the ‘Amrut Daud’ in Ambajogai, Beed district, on Sunday. With no formal running experience or training, she surprised everyone by winning the race in the above-30 age category in around 30 minutes.

The race was organised by Bharatiya Shikshan Prasarak Sanstha, Ambajogai, to mark the 75th anniversary of its Kholeshwar educational complex and National Sports Day. The event drew participants from different age groups.

She ran for her daughter’s books

Ramabai had learnt that the winner would receive Rs3,000. At a time when even a few thousand rupees could make a difference to her family, she immediately decided to participate.

Her younger daughter, Aarti, had been asking her for Rs3,200 to buy books for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination.

From slippers to barefoot

Ramabai arrived at the starting point in a sari and slippers, unlike many of the younger participants who were dressed in sportswear and running shoes.

When the race began, she initially lagged. But her slippers became a problem as she ran. She eventually removed them and continued barefoot for most of the race.

Despite the rough surface and the lack of proper footwear, Ramabai kept running and overtook the other participants. She crossed the finish line first in her category, completing the race in about 30 minutes.

Her daughter Pooja also participated in the event and finished second in the younger age category, winning Rs2,000. The prize money earned by both mother and daughter went towards Aarti’s educational needs.

A life shaped by hardship

Ramabai’s determination is rooted in years of struggle. Her husband died in 2012, leaving her to raise their two daughters without a farm or other property.

She worked as a daily-wage labourer on other people’s farms to support the family and fund her daughters’ education.

She now works as a cook at Dnyandeep Academy in Ambajogai, where she earns about Rs9,000 a month. Her work includes preparing food for trainees and making more than 200 chapatis a day.

Her elder daughter, Pooja, 22, is preparing for Maharashtra Police recruitment. She is training at Dnyandeep Academy, where her mother also works.

Aarti, 20, is studying for a BSc in Computer Science at Vishwabharti Mahavidyalaya in Nanded and hopes to clear the MPSC examination and enter public service.

Daughters determined to change their family’s future.

Pooja herself had to give up her studies after completing HSC because the family could not afford college. She has spent the past year preparing for police recruitment and hopes to secure a government job and improve the family’s financial condition.

The family is also struggling to access a government scholarship for Aarti. According to Pooja, they have been unable to obtain their late father’s death certificate, which is required for the scholarship. Officials reportedly directed them to approach a court, but the family cannot afford legal fees.

More than a race

Ramabai’s barefoot run has since gone viral on social media, turning an ordinary local race into a powerful story of maternal sacrifice.

For her, however, the race was never simply about winning. It was about finding Rs3,000 for her daughter’s books and keeping alive Aarti’s dream of becoming an MPSC officer.

Her determination has since drawn praise online, with people highlighting the extraordinary lengths to which she has gone to give her daughters opportunities that were denied to her.