My name is Meena Devi. I come from Uttar Pradesh. Education was an important part of my early life, and after completing my schooling and teacher training, I decided to work as a teacher. I wanted to earn my own income and do something useful for children in my community.
I began teaching at a primary school when I was a young adult. In the beginning, my work involved teaching basic subjects, preparing lessons, checking students' work and helping children learn. My salary was modest, but I was happy to have a job of my own. Teaching taught me patience and responsibility, and over time I became more confident in the classroom.
As I grew older, my work and family life became closely connected. Like many women, I had responsibilities at home as well as at school. There were household tasks to complete and family needs to manage alongside my teaching duties. Balancing these responsibilities required effort, but earning an income was important to me because it allowed me to contribute towards my family's expenses.
Over the years, I gained experience and became more comfortable handling my responsibilities as a teacher. I enjoyed seeing children improve their skills and gain confidence in their studies. My earnings increased as my career progressed, and I became more aware of the importance of saving for the future. I knew that I would not be able to work forever, so preparing for retirement was something I needed to consider.
I continued teaching for many years before retiring in 2020. Leaving my job was a major change because my working routine had been part of my life for so long. I had to get used to spending more time at home and organising my days differently. Although I no longer go to school every day, the experience of teaching remains an important part of my life.
I now live with my husband in Lucknow. We manage our household together, and I spend more time on domestic activities, reading and meeting family members. My pension helps me cover everyday expenses and gives me a regular source of income after retirement. We plan our spending carefully because household costs and medical expenses can change over time.
Retirement has taught me that financial security becomes especially important when regular employment ends. During our working years, there are many responsibilities competing for our income, and it is not always easy to save as much as we would like. Having a regular pension provides some stability, but it is still necessary to manage money carefully.
When I look back on my life, I feel that my years of teaching gave me both financial independence and a sense of purpose. My experience has also shown me how closely paid work, family responsibilities and later-life security are connected. I hope that people who are still working will think about their future and prepare for old age as early as they can. For me, retirement is not simply the end of work; it is a new stage of life that requires adjustment, planning and support from the people around us.