How women in rural Tamil Nadu are painting their way to empowerment

Women of Mayiladuthurai and other places in the State are breaking barriers as wall painters in what is traditionally a male-dominated field

Durga Santhanam, D Rajakumari and S Venmathi, from Mayiladuthurai had a memorable Ayudha Pooja and Deepavali this year. As members of a group of seven homemakers who are certified wall painters, they were felicitated by local organisations alongside male professionals during the festivals.

Wall painting, which used to once be a male-dominated field in the construction sector, has emerged as a new employment opportunity for women in rural areas.

Under its Nshakti training programme, Japanese company Nippon Paint has trained over 500 women in Tamil Nadu, in places such as Mayiladuthurai, Ocheri, Ramasamypatti and Anaimalai. This has led to the rise of small clusters of female painting contractors equipped with the skills to bring a new look to schools, homes and temples in their vicinity with a swipe of their brushes.