JET-2012: Ranked second, village girl sets an example

Simranpreet Kaur Dhanoa lives in a typical village, in a house with a courtyard complete with cowsheds and smell of wet earth. But she and her family are not like typical villagers who do not believe that a woman should be educated and independent.

Simranpreet Kaur Dhanoa lives in a typical village, in a house with a courtyard complete with cowsheds and smell of wet earth. But she and her family are not like typical villagers who do not believe that a woman should be educated and independent.

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Simran, a resident of Dhandra, 11km from Ludhiana, has grabbed the second rank in the Joint Entrance Test (JET) conducted by the Punjab State Board of Technical Education, results of which were declared on Tuesday. Daughter of a farmer and the granddaughter of a former schoolteacher, Simran comes from a family that has set an example for state infamous for female foeticide.

"My father and grandfather have always encouraged me and my younger sister to study. I want to be an electronics engineer," Simran told HT, adding, "I feel lucky to have been born in such a family. Many other people in our village don't let their daughters study. We want to change that."

Simran studied in Joseph School, Dugri-Dhandra Road, and her younger sister is in Class 7. They do not have a computer and did not opt for private tuitions. "Self study is the key," Simran said.

A proud grandfather Sukhdev Singh Dhanoa said, "My house is filled with trophies that my granddaughters have won since kindergarten in exams and extra-curricular activities. I can't understand why people want sons. I am proud of our girls."