"Empowerment Beyond Sacrifice"

This Deepawali was extra special, as my elder son was home from his Gurukul for a well-deserved vacation. Amid the warmth of family and festivities, he kept urging me to watch a movie called Panga. At first, I brushed it off—I was busy preparing for the holiday, managing the home, and catching up with him and his brother. But his insistence was gentle and consistent. Curious, I finally began the film, stitching away at a crochet project, thinking it might be background noise. Little did I know how deeply it would resonate with me.

The film gripped me within its first moments, and the content of the first half was so powerful that it overwhelmed me. I couldn’t help but think: How did he know this movie would speak to me so profoundly? At just nine years old, he sensed something about my journey that perhaps I hadn’t even put into words myself. My heart swelled with gratitude—and a bit of awe.

Watching Panga, I was struck by its portrayal of a woman’s journey, one that felt uncannily familiar. The protagonist’s story wasn’t a struggle against a villain or an unsupportive family; instead, her biggest challenge was overcoming the silent but heavy expectations she had of herself. She was supported, loved, and encouraged by those around her, yet there was an internal conflict that any woman balancing dreams and duties can relate to. How many of us have put our aspirations on hold, not out of regret, but out of a deep and selfless love for our families? We do it with a smile, without hesitation—but the thought of who we are versus who we could have been can weigh on us quietly.

Our society speaks often about women’s empowerment. Yet, true empowerment should honor all forms of womanhood, even when it involves choosing family over a career, or sacrificing dreams for loved ones. Women who manage to do it all—career, family, personal passions—deserve applause. But so do the women who, sometimes, must make a choice. In a world that champions “having it all,” there should be equal respect for the women who focus on what matters most to them, even when it means putting their own desires on hold.

For any woman reading this: hang in there, stay strong, and be at peace with where you are right now. We all make sacrifices for our loved ones, but we also need to remember that our dreams matter, too. It’s okay to give deeply, especially to our children, but we can’t lose ourselves completely in the process. There comes a time when we must let them fly and rediscover ourselves, beyond the roles we play. It’s about knowing that setting healthy boundaries isn’t selfish; it’s necessary. When you reclaim your space and passions, the world will adjust. Your family, your community—they will learn to respect those choices, even if it takes time. 

It made me wonder: how many people, in theory, support the empowerment of women? And how many truly support it when it might mean taking on more responsibilities themselves? If we truly want to empower women, we must be willing to shift our own lives to create a support system that allows them the freedom to explore their full potential—whether in the home or beyond it. It’s easy to say that we want the women in our lives to follow their dreams, but who is ready to make space for that to happen? To give up a little comfort, to manage the household in their absence, or to let go of the stability they bring to our lives?

Watching Panga reminded me that real empowerment is a bridge—a blend of support and sacrifice on both sides. Women have always been the heart of the family, often juggling countless roles without recognition. Perhaps, rather than just encouraging women to keep going, we should also honor the choices they make along the way, and lend our support in ways that allow them to flourish.

To all the women who balance family and dreams, to those who’ve had to make difficult choices, and to those who are still finding their way—may we, as a society, learn to honor and support each step of your journey. And to my son, thank you for showing me a perspective I didn’t know I needed.