-Ishan Parmar
A few years ago, when my mother, Dipti Parmar, shared an article about Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar- a prominent social reformer- my initial reaction was one of indifference. The article, published by PeaceCorps .gov, highlighted Dr. Pariyar’s incredible journey as a Dalit girl in Nepal who overcame immense challenges to become a beacon of hope for marginalized women and girls. It wasn’t until my mother insisted that I truly delve into Dr. Pariyar’s story that I began to grasp the significance of her work. The word “Dalit” struck a chord within me, reminding me of my own family’s roots in the Dalit community in India. Although I was born and raised in the United States, where I’ve never personally experienced discrimination based on caste, I was deeply aware of the racial injustices faced by people of color in American history. This realization fueled my desire to learn more about Dr. Pariyar’s work and its impact on marginalized communities, both in Nepal and beyond.
As a current senior at Newark Academy, learning about the discrimination my people faced motivated me to dedicate myself to combating social issues in South Asia. Over the past three years, I’ve organized roughly 50 art workshops, teaching around 300 children how to draw while fundraising more than $5,000 for organizations like Dr. Pariyar’s ADWAN, AIM, and Asha for Education—each dedicated to fighting caste discrimination and illiteracy. Through these efforts, I hope to contribute to meaningful change, driven by the inspiration Dr. Pariyar’s trailblazing life story has instilled in me.
Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar was born in Nepal and immediately labeled with the single most damaging title a person living on the southern peninsula of Asia can have: Untouchable. Straight from childbirth, Dr. Pariyar was heavily discriminated against and immediately forced to redeem herself for a crime she had no power over. During Dr. Pariyar’s childhood, worthlessness was all she felt. The opportunities provided to her were significantly more limited than those that were presented to children of a higher caste. For example, multiple temples were gated off so Dalits wouldn’t “infest” their sacred ground; at least that was their intuition. Not only that, but other children shunned her, and excluded her from group activities simply for being an untouchable or Dalit.
However, all tales of rising from the darkest depths have a small sliver of light representing hope. For Dr. Pariyar, the light was her father. Her father recognized the importance of education in escaping the perpetual cycle of caste discrimination, and so he pushed her to excel in school. However, during her time in school teachers and students alike would ridicule her for her lower Dalit caste, making the basic necessity of education a burden. To add onto her struggle, her caste Pariyar (Damai) prohibited her from attending school higher than a third grade level. However, Dr. Pariyar would not let this stand and eventually got herself into middle school.
Fortunately for Dr. Pariyar, her academic endeavors were recognized and the Manakamana Higher Secondary School in Gorkha, Nepal approached her family with the prospect of admitting her into their program. The high tuition fees held her back from attending initially, but Dr. Pariyar was an excellent student always toping her class and the school would benefit from having a student like her as a part of their program.
Throughout Dr. Pariyar’s entire life, those around her judged her based on her caste. Whether it be in an educational setting, or even on a playground, the label “Untouchable (Achhut)” was carved onto her forehead, and she was ridiculed for it. However, for the first time, Dr. Pariyar met someone who looked past her caste identity and saw her for her character. John Brugman was the school’s science teacher as well as a American Peace Corps Volunteer. John’s ability to be a figure in Dr. Pariyar’s life that was approving and uncritical to her caste led to him being a trustworthy person, someone who motivated Dr. Pariyar.
Eventually, John’s tenure serving in the Peace Corps ended, but their relationship still continued. Dr. Pariyar passed her exam, leading John to providing her a scholarship of 700 U.S. dollars. Dr. Pariyar was then able to pursue a higher education and eventually founded the Association of Dalit Women’s Advancement of Nepal (ADWAN). The organization, still to this day, works tirelessly to end caste based oppression. Roughly 150,000 Nepali people have benefitted from the organization. ADWAN’s efforts are even recognized by structured curriculums where textbooks in colleges outline the various efforts of ADWAN, and look to Dr. Pariyar and her organization for the blueprint in the fight to end caste discrimination. Dr. Pariyar has become a social entrepreneurship, generating social change and ending caste discrimination.
Dr. Pariyar’s remarkable achievements have vast global impacts. Dr. Pariyar has been honored with more than 40 national and international recognition, award, citation, proclamation for her outstanding contributions to human rights, a clear indication of her dedication to equality.
In 2015, the City of Louisville, Kentucky, USA honored September 27 as “Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar Day” by Mayor Greg E. Fischer for her outstanding social contribution as in 2013, Dr. Pariyar was conferred with honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) from her alma mater, Pine Manor College, MA, USA for her pioneer social contribution. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social and Political Systems from Nepal and the USA and a Master’s degree in International Development and Social Change from Clark University, MA, USA.
Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar’s life-struggle story has been featured at higher education text book, ‘The Writer’s Mindset’ by Dr. Lisa Wright Hoeffner which was published by one of the world’s top publications, McGraw Hill in 2021. Dr. Pariyar’s story is featured between 591-594 pages.
In 2022, Dr. Pariyar’s life story has been included at State of Massachusetts’s Department of Education 7th grade curriculum in which it featured in 8 pages under Lesson-12: Untouchability and SDG 10.
Additionally, Dr. Pariyar extends her compassion and expertise to victims of sexual abuse, offering therapy and mental health care to those in need in the United States. Dr. Pariyar’s impact is profound, touching thousands of lives and creating an inclusive society. Her achievements showcase the power of resilience, from being simply an untouchable in Nepal to a significant figure in the world.
Dr. Pariyar’s achievements are admirable themselves. But when put in context with her upbringing as a woman of a lower caste in Nepal, a place where the caste system is so heavily ingrained into society, her achievements are significantly more impressive. It seems as if the world was working against her, but Dr. Pariyar’s unending resilience allowed her to succeed.
From as an untouchable Dalit family myself I see Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar as a source of inspiration on my own endeavors to fight caste discrimination. Her actions, and her growth as a human, make me believe that the sky is truly the limit. I will never be defined by the shackles of societal labels because Dr. Pariyar herself transcended societal norms.
Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar journey from an “Untouchable” to a beacon of hope serves as a story of resilience and the transformative power of education. No individual should be defined by the circumstances of their birth, only by their actions and impact. As we reflect on the incredible achievements of ADWAN, it is clear that the fight against discrimination and inequality is far from over. Dr. Pariyar’s unwavering determination and success inspire us all to challenge societal norms, support those who are marginalized, and strive for a world where everyone is valued for their humanity and potential. Let us take her story as a call to action, to support initiatives that promote equality and justice, and to be the advocates for change in our own communities. Together, we can create a world where no one is left behind, and where every person has the opportunity to rise and make a difference.
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