RAJKOT: Arva Makda was only 22 when her middle-class Muslim family settled her in an arranged marriage. At that stage, it appeared to her that her dream to study further and open her own fitness centre would have to be put on hold. But not only were her in-laws supportive of her, but her father-in-law also assumed the role of the father figure to ensure that her aspirations were fulfilled.Arva, now 38, has been successfully running a fitness centre on the Jamnagar Road in Rajkot city for the past five years, providing physiotherapy and dieting plans. Arva recounts her journey from being a dreamer to an achiever. “When I got married, I had completed only the second year of BSc in home science,” she said. “Ours was a joint family. Other members of the household were my mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife and their children. At any rate, I was keen to study further.”By the time Arva completed her graduation, she had conceived. She took a break of three years and enrolled in the dietetic and food service management course offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). “Though it was a distance-learning course, I had to devote a significant amount time to study,” she said. “I also interned at a private hospital. I had to complete research work and dissertation. I spent the whole day with my books. In fact, my sister-in-law complained to my father-in-law that she and her husband didn’t get the facilities that I got in the household!”Arva’s father-in-law, Iqbal Hussain Makda, runs industrial iron scrap business. He said: “Education is priceless and I never differentiate between my daughter and daughter-in-law.” He went on to say: “If your daughter-inlaw is well educated, she can educate her children and the next generation.”Arva also finished a distance-learning course in alternative medicine , offered by the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine. She has done a comparative study of homoeopathy, naturopathy and ayurveda. The education is valuable to her in running her fitness centre. However, she doesn’t prescribe medicines. She is currently the treasurer of the Indian Dietetic Association’s Gujarat chapter. As for her success, Arva gives full credit to her mother-in law as well.

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