Prachi Thakur & Her Father’s Fight For “Why Waste Money? Marry Her Off” Ended With Breath-Taking Success!

Asking for permission before planning a trip is the most dangerous task for a girl. Trust me, before going to our parents, we rehearse the whole scenario multiple times in front of a mirror. Well, the concerns raised by parents for their daughters before going on a trip are absolutely genuine, as nothing is ideally safe for a female out there. But Prachi Thakur, a daughter from Bihar, has taken the initiative to make the tourism industry a better place for women. Prachi is on a mission to make traveling safe for girls so that no girl is denied permission for a trip!

Who is Prachi Thakur?

Prachi Thakur is a diversity strategist at World Women’s Tourism who focuses on creating a more inclusive world for women in the tourism industry. She is also a TEDx speaker who practices her level best to create this world a safe space for women in total by setting her own life experiences as an example.

Prachi Thakur started as an ordinary girl in Supaul, a very small village in Bihar. Her hometown had a mindset that girls should be married off by the time they turn 15. However, Prachi’s dad stood as a steadfast protector of his daughter’s dreams and freedom, ensuring that she never succumbed to that patriarchal norm. He was committed to educating her.

Today, Prachi has transformed into an independent and intelligent woman, holding a Ph.D. from IIT Roorkee. Her inspiring journey, from overcoming societal expectations to becoming a Diversity Strategist and TEDx speaker, is sure to touch your heart.

What is TEDX?

It is a creative setup inspired by the American TED talk, which provides a platform for young minds to narrate a story that might motivate many others. It gives an 18-minute time span to all the registered speakers, as they feel this much time span is enough for a healthy and productive session. Anybody with a great story or incident in life that could be motivating or eye-opening for others can be a TEDx speaker.

How did Prachi Thakur become a TEDx speaker?

Prachi Thakur’s journey is an interesting yet challenging one. This brave and independent woman was the first one in her family to leave home and relocate for her studies. Bihar was an underserved state earlier so the patriarchal mindset disapproved of the idea of Prachi’s father sending her to another state just for the sake of education. He had to face traumatic comments like “She must have been pregnant; that’s why she ran away” and ignore them all with a smile.

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All of this provoked Prachi Thakur to achieve something big in life so that she could thank her parents for believing in her & standing against the world just for her in a royal way. Despite all this, the reason behind choosing Diversity Strategist as a profession was a depressing one.

An incident that shook her deeply

Prachi Thakur is an empowered woman and she believes she is confident in her own identity. However, there was an incident when she traveled to Varanasi for work. While waiting for a friend at her hotel’s reception in the evening, she was judged by her hotel management staff for her appearance. Watching so many visible tattoos and piercings on her skin, one of the receptionists asked her, “You will not come back tonight right?” She was misunderstood as a sex worker for her appearance and solo travel.

The independent and empowered woman in her was so shocked that she could not reply to him. It haunted her for years and the most depressing thought was the idea that if she discussed it with somebody, she would lose her identity as a bold and independent woman. Isn’t that what we all, ladies, must have felt at some point in our lives? That people judge our capabilities for some sexual assaults!

Prachi Thakur defying all odds from Bihar on a global level!

This incident was not digestible for Prachi Thakur and she thought of creating a safe space for all the women in the tourism industry. As a part of her on-ground research, she interviewed many women from the tourism industry to gain insights. Her survey involved both solo travelers and women working in the industry. Upon analyzing everything, she concluded that it might be possible that men are not taught the proper ways of comforting and respecting women in the tourism industry.

So, she became a Diversity Strategist who promotes the idea, need, and importance of having females in the industry. Today, Prachi Thakur is working with world-class organizations and is very successful in life. She takes pride when her parents are called by her name. But, even this phase did not come without challenges in her life!

How much challenging scenarios Prachi face in life?

Till date she face challenges in her industry. The major problem is that people judge her by her face and think what new this young girl can tell that us that we already don’t know. Sometimes it gets tough to change such rebellious attitude, but Prachi Thakur makes sure to shut the noise with her knowledge and skills. The only that keeps her going is the positive reviews ladies leave after experiencing some change because of her effort.

What is the need for diversity training in the tourism industry?

People think that all kinds of advocation at a work place can be done by human resource team which is not correct. Obviously if you have a pain in your teeth then you will prefer going to a dentist and not a general physician. Same is the case with diversity training. Everybody must understand the problem first then only they will understand the need for it. And to spread awareness about the problem, Prachi opted to become a TEDx speaker.

One piece of advice from Prachi Thakur to all the young souls

Back in school she used to tell everybody that her father is a businessman and mom is a tailor, as she feared bullying in revealing the true identity of her parents. Her mother is an illiterate woman and her father had a “paan” shop. Along with it, he used to repair gas stoves as a side income source. Many times she questioned him and said “Why can’t you wear the suit just like my friend’s dad?” to which her father used to reply “Money and clothes don’t matter in life”. Despite all this, her father was her biggest support in life.

This incident will forever stay in her heart and Prachi Thakur, the well-known TEDx speaker, wants to spread this to all the children in the world: do not be ashamed of accepting the actual status of your family instead, work hard to change it!

Today, she is very grateful for the opportunity her parents gave her in life. She dedicates all her success and achievements to both of her parents. Mad4India salutes her journey and wishes to see more such thriving individuals in society!

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If this inspiring story of Prachi Thakur was worth reading for you, then do give a read to the story of Unarmed Kamlesh Kumari Who Took 11 Bullets For The Nation, Safeguarded All The MPs In Parliament From A Deadly Terrorist Attack!

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