The inspiring story of 68-year-old Lata Khare shows true love is neither about expensive gifts nor about grand vacations.
When you see a 68-year-old woman, Lata Khare, running barefoot in a printed cotton saree hitched just a few inches above her ankles, you are not only surprised but also inspired by her determination!
Struggling with extreme poverty, Lata Khare took to running neither for the glory nor for the love of running. A poor farm laborer, whose husband works as a security guard and son has no permanent employment, Lata realized that running can give her money for her husband’s treatment and household expenses.
While recalling her inspiring story, Lata shared with BBC:
“My husband was ill and needed MRI scan. It costs 5,000 rupees, which we couldn’t afford. Some people in my village told me about a race, which had 5,000 as a price money. They encouraged me to participate and told me that I might win.”
Realizing how money could help her husband, she agreed quickly to run the race.
“I realized the money would pay for my husband’s tests. So I decided to run.”
As per the BBC, she ran her first race – 3km in 2014. But since then, she has won multiple races because of her determination. While talking about her determination to win she mentioned:
“I didn’t know that running was a sport. But I was determined to finish first.”
While applauding his wife’s determination, Latha’s husband, Bhagwan Khare mentioned:
“She didn’t think of herself. She only thought about me and my illness. I’m sad that she had to do this at her age, but I am very proud of her.”
But, it wasn’t only Latha’s family who was inspired by her courage and determination. When Naveen Kumar, a movie director, stumbled over her inspiring story in a newspaper, without wasting any time he turned her life story into a movie, where she played herself.
Her exceptional journey was made into a Marathi movie, Lata Bhagwan Kare, and released in 2020. Directed by Karimnagar-based director Naveen Deshboina, the movie is one-of-a-kind, as Lata plays her own character, reliving her own story. In the recently announced National Film Awards, the movie bagged a place under the special mention category.
At IFORHER, we want to thank Lata Khare for inspiring us and showing us the meaning of true love!
