Here in spite of the sordid squalor and poverty and overcrowded, dingy dwellings, some people still dream impossible dreams. And some like Priya (19) transform their dreams and destiny into an incredible reality despite insurmountable odds.
Chandigarh: Chandigarh it not just a beautifully perfect and world-class city. There is a seamier side to it where the ragged people live; they are the dregs of society – electricians, plumbers, factory workers, labourers, daily wage earners and safai karamcharis – who work and sweat to keep the city ticking, alive and in order, an IANS report in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says.
Here in spite of the sordid squalor and poverty and overcrowded, dingy dwellings in lanes and bylanes, some people still dream impossible dreams. And some like Priya (19) transform their dreams and destiny into an incredible reality despite insurmountable odds.
The daughter of a safai karamchari at a government polyclinic, and a support worker at a civil hospital, Priya has gained admission to MBBS at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH)-32, Chandigarh, with a category rank of nine.
But that’s not all. She’s also a national level basketball player and a gold medallist in martial arts.
The fact that she’s been a scholarship student all through her schooldays, speaks volumes of her single-minded diligence in pursuit of her goals. But what shines through is her feisty spirit and her indomitable never-say-die attitude.
With a casual smile she tells you in a matter-of-fact manner: “I have always wanted to be a doctor ever since grade sixth. A surgeon to be precise,” says the youngster, who studied at the Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, Sector 25, a residential school, from Class 6 to 12.
Her father, Hanuman Prasad, says “As a child, Priya would often accompany me to the polyclinic and seeing the medical officers, would always ask: ‘Who are they? I think that’s when the idea to be a doctor took root”.
The fact that she’s been a scholarship student all through her schooldays, speaks volumes of her single-minded diligence in pursuit of her goals. But what shines through is her feisty spirit and her indomitable never-say-die attitude.
After class 12, Priya cleared the entrance and interview to get admission to Dakshina Foundation, which prepares students for JEE and NEET, and moved to Pune for a year.
Priya recalls “The classes would start at 7 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Even during our leisure time we’d be working and revising the daily lessons. Looking back, it was all worth it.” She says people have been kind to her — friends, relatives, and family members — all encouraging her to never lose sight of her goal.
She particularly remembers her PT instructor at school, Mukta ma’am who always solidly behind me like a rock”
As she talks to the IANS correspondent, her mother Saroj Kumari, makes noodles, a favourite with Priya. “I hope she’ll finally be able to enjoy this meal after clearing such a big hurdle”, she says with a sigh.(Rewrite David Solomon)
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