Vadodara: Dr Usha Lodaya, a 67-year old woman from Gujarat’s Vadodara fulfilled her childhood dream by completing her PhD in Jainism. She has become a true inspiration to anyone dreaming of achieving anything, particularly at this age.
Young Lodaya aspired to become a doctor. However, getting married at the age of 20 put her dreams to a stop. She was in the first year of her BSc in Mumbai’s Jhunjhunwala College, when she had to quit.
But Lodaya did not let fate put off the spark inside her. She was adamant that she will not let her age defeat her dreams and decided to continue with her education in her sixties. She first completed her degree and then pursued her masters in Jainism. The septuagenarian then went on to earn PhD in Jainism from Maharashtra’s Shatrunjay Academy.
“It was a dream come true. I can now prefix Dr in my name. It took me almost 50 years to achieve something that I had aspired for when I was a teenager. Though not medical, I did get a doctorate degree,” Dr Lodaya told The Times of India.
It was not an easy walk for her. Her husband, Khirendra Lodaya, passing away one and half years into her PhD was again a shock for her. But she was again determined to not let tragedies disrupt her dreams. It took her four years to complete her research, and recently completed her viva.
Dr Lodaya plans to get into teaching and wants to help students interested in Jainism studies.