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Sarita Kaushik | Nagpur, June 30
For most of the years that Vaishali Wankhede
studied, her family could not afford electricity.
She had to make do by studying under the street-light
just outside her house. Even when they finally
managed to get power connection, she still had
to study under the street-light as six other members
of the family slept, moved or fought in the barely
20-ft by 15-ft slum dwelling which is her home.
Today, having secured around 86 per cent marks
in the Pre-Medical Test (PMT), Vaishali's ambition
and aspiration have managed to throw back the burden
of circumstances. Her mother Maya is a house-help,
washing utensils and clothes. She has studied till
Class VIII. Her father Ramesh is a rickshaw-puller.
He has studied till Class IX. One of her brother,
Dinesh, is a driver and the other, Mukesh, mends
punctures. Both brothers have failed their Class
X examination and not studied further. Mukesh is
married and has a daughter.
The family of seven lives in a dingy dwelling with
little light. A half brick wall partition serves
to demarcate the kitchen from the only other room,
which serves as a drawing-room, living-room, bedroom
and most importantly, a study-room holding Vaishali's
books.
Ironically, a year back, Vaishali did not even know
what the PMT was all about. She only knew that she
wanted to do well in her life. But how, she knew
not. Having taken a drop for a year and after making
relevant enquiries, she realised the need of the
examination. Intervention from a family friend ensured
that she got free PMT tuitions. Yet, another acquaintance
from "our community", as Vaishali puts
it, provided her necessary study material. Vaishali
says she could not have afforded to buy the necessary
material and the help from her tuition teacher of
the Guru Coaching Classes and the family friend
bailed her through.
Things have not changed much for her and obviously
she has a long way to go before any material change.
The first is a counselling session wherein she will
realise where she stands by way of medical admission.
She has just returned after having walked to quite
a distance to obtain her domicile certificate. And
seeing the flashbulbs, she seems almost harried.
She confesses that she has not eaten throughout
the day. Her mother has taken leave from work. Her
father, brothers, neighbours and relatives are all
basking in the reflection of her glory. The family
has not cooked. Her mother gets her a chapatti and
scrapings of besan from a neighbour and requests
the media to allow her to eat.
The joy of her mother is obviously unbounded. She
keeps folding her hands before an array of Gods
and Goddesses that the family has managed to find
space for in the kitchen. As people shoot questions
at Vaishali, her mother, overcome with pride, often
pulls her close to her arms and kisses her.
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