Living off the razor’s edge

With three small daughters and a blind father-in-law to take care of she picked up scissors, razor et al and took off from where her husband had left off, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Mar 8, 2008, 24:37:34 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Uttarakhand

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Prabha Devi’s world fell apart 13 years ago when her husband died. With three small daughters and a blind father-in-law to take care of she picked up scissors, razor et al and took off from where her husband had left off.

Says the 45-year-old barber of Endi village, “When I saw the faces of my hungry children, I had no other choice.” Well, her choice paid off. Not only did she feed them, she also educated them and got them married.

Since local custom prevented ‘customers’ from paying her in cash (she was given food) Prabha did several odd jobs apart from tilling her patch of land. Today failing eyesight makes her job difficult but she is still at it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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