Bhubaneswar: Geetanjali Marandi, a tribal girl from Dhenkanal, rubbed shoulders with Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Shabana Azmi in New Delhi on Monday.
At 15, Marandi has broken myths associated with menstruation and continues to study breaching social taboos.
A proud representative from Odisha at the "Nine Movement's Menstrual Awareness Conclave", Marandi sat alongside experts, including Azmi, and spoke at a panel discussion on absenteeism of girl child in schools during menstruation.
The teenager has become a role model on how to maintain menstrual hygiene while pursuing studies.
Marandi said life skills education classes in her school helped her to understand that menstruation was a normal phenomenon for girls and unhealthy practices affected their self-esteem.
"I learnt about the use of sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene management and now feel confident to attend classes even during my menstruation cycles," she said.
Marandi says she inspires other girls and women of her community to bust the myths associated with menstruation. She also convinces them not to miss school during menstruation.
Marandi said the government's decision to provide sanitary pads in schools and life skills education had changed the way girls managed their menstruation.
"Girls in my area feel shy to talk about menstrual hygiene, but they fail to understand its improtance. I wish more and more girls to come out in open and talk about it," she said.
She was given a cheque of Rs 5 lakh by the UN foundation for breaking social taboos and trying to change the mindset of young girls.
"The story of Geetanjali Marandi is a clarion call to society to start talking about menstruation," said social activist Poonam Naik.
An icing on the cake was Marandi meeting her Bollywood hero Akshay Kumar, who was the chief guest at the conclave.
"I have been a fan of Akshay Kumar since a very long time and meeting him was a huge pleasure," she said.
The state's ST/SC development department had nominated Marandi, who studies in the government-run residential, to the conclave.
She had joined a panel consisting of deputy director, Asia Pacific, regional office, UNFPA, film actor and social activist Shabana Azmi, former secretary general, UN, woman, Laxmi Puri and head of Royal Commonwealth Society Shivani Wazir Pasrich.
