Arindam Ganguly, OP
As the nation is celebrating Daughter’s Day today, the spotlight is on the daughters, their dreams, their achievements, and their journeys. But behind many of these inspiring stories stands a figure of silent strength, unwavering belief, and unconditional love, a father. In a world that often clips dreams, they lift daughters higher, not with loud praise, but steady support. Their silent strength turns fear into flight, shaping tomorrow’s women with love that doesn’t limit, it liberates.
On this day, women from different walks of life share with Sunday POST how their fathers shaped their lives and careers.
Reflecting on her journey, actress Sonalli Sharmishtha Mohanty, known for her roles in Odia and several other languages’ movies such as Kalira Atita, Jajabara 2,0, Swaha and Tribhanga, said, “My father is my biggest inspiration, my true hero. Whatever I am today is because of his constant support. From a small village to Mumbai, the journey was never easy, especially in a society where daughters are rarely allowed to leave home to chase their dreams. But he always stood by me.”
Sonalli credits her father for not only treating her as an equal but giving her the rarest gift a daughter can ask for, trust and freedom.“He treated me like his son, trusted me, and gave me the freedom to make my own decisions. Even when I made mistakes, he never shouted at me; instead, he consoled me with love and patience.”
In a society often burdened with patriarchal norms, fathers like hers are rewriting the script, offering daughters wings instead of cages, she said.
For Anandita Mishra, a college student, the connection with her father is deeply spiritual.
“Instinctually, daughters are close to fathers, but in my case, I am not just close… I am a piece of his body in a living sense,” she says.
Raised in a household that encouraged debate, curiosity, and independent thinking, Anandita’s father, a lawyer by profession, made sure she had a voice.“He never forced me to live by his definitions. He always gave me a free hand to experiment and find things out on my own,” adds Anandita.
Her words echo the essence of what modern fatherhood can look like, a balance of discipline and dialogue, structure and space.
Entrepreneur Joyeeta Roy credits her father not just for her values, but for her fearlessness: “He has never been the strict or distant kind of father; he has always been my friend first and then my dad.”
Joyeeta fondly recalls how her father would do her literature homework so she wouldn’t be scolded at school, and how he never let failure define her. “Whether it was my career choices or personal decisions, he backed me unconditionally and gave me the confidence to fly higher.”
Even after the personal loss of her mother in 2021, her father became her pillar. “He became both mom and dad for me. His strength, love, and resilience continue to inspire me every single day,” Joyeeta concluded.
Actress Bhoomika Dash, who had started her career as a child artist, said, “My father has made countless sacrifices for me and my career. During the early stages of my journey, there were many times when he put his own ambitions on hold just to support mine. His belief in me never wavered; he stood by me, encouraged me, and gave me the strength to move forward. Even today, whenever I face an important career decision, I turn to him for advice. His wisdom, patience, and unwavering support make him not just my guide, but my greatest inspiration,” she said.’
These stories are more than emotional tributes; they are powerful narratives of change. In a world that often limits daughters with rules, fears, and expectations, these fathers chose to empower, educate, and elevate.
They believed in their daughters when society doubted them. They stood behind them, not in control but in support. They offered unconditional love, space to fail, and the encouragement to rise again.
As we celebrate Daughter’s Day, perhaps the greatest gift we can give future daughters is more fathers like these, who are not just protectors, but partners in their daughters’ dreams.
