60-Year-Old Woman Carries Paralysed Husband to Burhanpur Collectorate, Seeks Disability Support

A 60-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district has drawn widespread attention after a video showed her carrying her paralysed husband on her back to the district collectorate. She had travelled to the government office to seek a tricycle and disability pension for him.

The woman, Bindubai, was attending a public grievance hearing with her husband, Dayashankar, when the incident took place. The video, which surfaced on social media on Saturday night, quickly went viral and highlighted the difficulties faced by families caring for people with disabilities.

The matter reached Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who directed officials to provide immediate assistance to the family. According to NDTV, Dayashankar has since received a tricycle, while support has also been arranged for the education of the couple’s daughters.

The family lives in Mahajan Colony. Dayashankar became paralysed nine years ago, and one of his legs had to be amputated during treatment. Since then, he has been unable to walk. Bindubai has taken responsibility for looking after him and carries him whenever he needs to travel.

During the visit to the collectorate, Bindubai met District Collector Vivek Kumar and raised her concerns. She also has a medical certificate confirming her husband’s paralysis. In the viral video, she can be heard saying that officials had previously told her that she would not receive any assistance.

The Wider Challenge of Unpaid Caregiving

Bindubai’s experience also brings attention to the often-overlooked burden of unpaid caregiving, which continues to fall disproportionately on women.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Time Use Survey 2024 found that 34% of women aged six and above participated in unpaid caregiving for household members on the day covered by the survey. The corresponding figure for men was 17.9%.

Her determination to keep seeking support for her husband, despite earlier discouragement, reflects the challenges many caregivers face while navigating public services. It also highlights the importance of accessible welfare support for people with disabilities and the families who care for them.

Bindubai’s efforts serve as a reminder that leadership and resilience are often demonstrated through everyday acts of responsibility and persistence.