Wrinkled but resolute, Raj Rajeshwari Mukhopadhyay allowed herself tears of relief on Tuesday afternoon. A struggle that had begun 40 years ago — yes, even before the Left Front came to power in Bengal — was nearing its end.

Raj Rajeshwari was a 44-year-old widow when she first demanded her dues from the state. Denied for four decades, the 84-year-old broke down in Calcutta High Court on Tuesday after Justice Arunava Bose directed the state authorities to pay her the entire amount of family pension accruing since 1968 — adding up to around Rs 20 lakh.

“My husband was a primary school teacher in Labhpur (around 30km from Santiniketan). He died in 1968 at the age of 50. I was left with four children and no source of income,” recounted Raj Rajeshwari. “I have been fighting for our dues for 40 years.... I am so relieved and so happy that justice has prevailed at last.”

The widow, who now lives with her son and daughter-in-law, managed to raise her children doing kantha stitchwork and odd jobs in Bishoypur village of Labhpur.

Justice Arunava Basu, in his order, said: “The government is directed to pay the family pension to the widow of Bansi Badan Mukhopadhyay within six week of receiving the copy of the order along with an interest at the rate of 9 per cent.”

Advocate Tapan Mukherjee, who was part of the legal team that fought Raj Rajeshwari’s battle, said her present pension would be Rs 2,800 per month.

Bansi Badan Mukhopadhyay had joined Baltikuti Primary School, under Labhpur police station in Birbhum, as an assistant teacher in 1952. He died after 15 years and nine months of service.

“Soon after his death, Raj Rajeshwari made a representation to the district inspector of the school for the family pension, but to no avail,” said advocate Mukherjee.

She then approached the accountant general and the primary education department. At every administrative pillar and bureaucratic post she was given promises but no pension.

Years of wait gave way to decades but Raj Rajeshwari did not give up. In January 2006, she moved a petition before Calcutta High Court narrating her plight.

“In 2006, Justice Tapen Sen had heard the petition and asked the government to file an affidavit stating the reasons behind non-payment of pension to the widow. But the state failed to carry out the court’s directive,” said Lakshmi Gupta, the senior lawyer representing Raj Rajeshwari.

Two years on, the wheels of justice finally turned for the widow and brought a smile to her weather-beaten face.