THRISSUR: Six women received a long, standing ovation when they shared how they emerged victorious after facing challenges in life. These six women came to Kerala Varma College to accept the award of 'Samatha', a gender justice organization. They won the award for making many things that were thought impossible possible.

The women honoured by Samatha are:

1. Thrissur native Rekha, who is India's first woman to get a deep sea fishing license
2. Kalpathy native Lakshmi, who went on a bike trip from her home to Ladakh and returned after 59 days.
3. Aluva native Arifa, who swam 750 meters and crossed the Periyar river at the age of 69.
4. Adoor native Kunjippennu, who has been digging wells for 45 years
5. Kozhikode Valayam native Deepa Joseph, who is the first 24-hour ambulance driver in the state.
6. Thrissur Mannuthy native Shantha, who has been doing various things, including painting, using her feet.

The fisheries department had initially denied Rekha a fishing license as she was a woman. Later, she obtained the license after presenting the problem at a function honoured by the Central Fisheries Department. Deepa was denied a job saying that 108 ambulances are driven by men. She later became a driver in another ambulance. Arifa felt the need to learn swimming when she saw her house getting destroyed in the 2018 floods and her family members and locals struggling to save their lives. Arifa, who went to watch her children learn to swim, learned swimming in two months. Lakshmi, who works in the customer service department of an American company, went to Ladakh in 2019. She used to stay in hotels and work night shifts and travel during the day. Shantha draws pictures and uses computer and mobile phone using her toes.