She’s 3 Feet 11 Inches But This Woman Advocate Did Not Let Her Height Stop Her Growth

I’m one of the tallest women in my family. Growing up, I’ve always heard people saying “don’t grow so tall… this height is for men not for you” and I wondered how do I stop this natural progression? I mean it’s not like I chose it. And honestly, if I could, I still would choose the endlessly long legs. But what bothered me the most is the constant teasing and bullying I faced for my height – in school, at family functions, etc. It definitely took a toll on me. I wanted to be like those other short girls. And as I grew older, I realized that some of them also have faced bullying for being “too short”. It was then that I understood that no matter what your height is or how you look, people are always going to find a way to criticize you. 

Getting criticized, made fun of, and or bullied for your physical appearance can take a toll on your mind and the way you look at yourself. But that shouldn’t ever let you stop from living your dream. And that is exactly what Advocate Harwinder Kaur did.

At 3 ft 11 inches,  Harwinder Kaur is definitely not the height the average Indian woman is. But she didn’t let that weigh her down. She beat her bullies who made fun of her height and became an advocate practicing in Jalandhar district court. She has now been an advocate for eight months and her goal is to one day become a judge and help the poor.

But Harwinder Kaur’s journey hasn’t been easy. After being constantly ridiculed for her short height in Jalandhar’s Police DAV Public School, she had decided that she did not want to continue her education. 

What made her overcome her decision was her parents’ concern. She remembers how her parents used to express their concern regarding her future with her elder brother. They would tell him that all the responsibilities including hers (Harwinder Kaur’s) were his. And Harwinder Kaur didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. So, she decided to not let her height come in the way and become a self-sufficient, capable human being who could take care of herself as well as look after her parents. She wanted to be their strength and not their weakness.

After which, Advocate Harwinder Kaur completed her LLB from Lyallpur Khalsa College in Jalandhar. And today, she considers her 3ft 11in stature as a sign of strength and blessing. When asked about her school days, she recalled, “In school, several students used to make remarks about my height. I used to cry a lot. After completing school, I was scared to join college. There was a deep-rooted fear in my heart that people would again make fun of me and I will have to once again go through the pain I suffered in my school days… I used to cry almost daily but never told my parents because that would have upset them. But now I feel that all that was happening because of my own negative feelings about my appearance, and now all that has changed into positivity and I have no remorse for my appearance.

And now Advocate Harwinder Kaur walks from one courtroom to another presenting various cases. She says that it’s been a little difficult while attending the court but she has learned to manage it now. And even though people stare at her because of her height, she has stopped letting their stares bother her anymore.

And that is what I call a win. Your dreams are yours to achieve. Don’t let anything – whether it be height, color, body structure, etc. – come in your way of fulfilling your dreams. Because no matter what you do, people are always going to find a way to criticize you. And so the only way to shut them up is to show them how you win!