Headlines
Bengaluru maid dreams big after scoring 85 percent
Bengaluru, May 23
Seventeen-year-old Shalini,
who doubles up as a housemaid to support her family, has found a solid
reason to dream big. She appeared in the two-year pre-university course
(PUC) board exam and scored an impressive 85 percent recently.
"My
hard work has paid off. I used to study for final exams whenever I was
free from work as maid in five-six homes around the neighbourhood and
household chores," a gritty Shalini told IANS at her small rented home
in the city's western suburb.
The Karnataka Examination Authority declared the PUC results on May 18 for the exams held in March across the state.
Though
distinction was not new to this only daughter of a poor family, as she
scored 86 percent in 10th class board exam two years ago, it is her
ability to repeat the feat despite adversity that inspires.
While
preparing for her exams, she also looked after an ailing father
Armugam, bed-ridden since falling from a building over a decade ago, and
younger brother Surya, who is undergoing treatment at a state-run
hospital for blood cancer.
"As my mother (Vijay) is the only
earning member and works as a domestic help in dozen homes, I used
assist her and learn washing utensils and clothes, sweeping and mopping
floors and sprinkle water in front of houses to draw rangoli (colours).
Later, she also took up the same work at some houses to add to the family's income.
Having
studied in Tamil medium up to seventh class, eighth and ninth class in
Kannada medium, Shalini switched over to English medium in 10th class.
She wrote the exams in English with ease from Vivekvardhani School.
"Tamil
is my mother tongue and Kannada is the local language. I opted for
English in 10th class to do PUC and degree in the same language,"
Shalini shared in flawless English.
A shy and reserved ward, Shalini surprised even those for whom she worked as a domestic help.
"They
(owners) were delighted to see me talking about my performance in PUC
on news channels and read about me in some newspapers with my phone.
They wondered how I managed to study so well while doing maid work in
their homes," Shalini said.
Unfazed by social and economic
hardships, Shalini now wants to graduate in electronics and
communications and become a software engineer in an Indian IT bellwether
or a multi-national in this tech hub.
"I am waiting for CET
(common entrance test) results so that I can join a reputed engineering
college like BMS, BNM or VIET in the city with support from trusts,
scholarships and donation from charitable institutions," Shalini said.
Recognising
Shalini's talent and hard work, the Mysore-based Swami Vivekananda
Youth Movement paid her admission and tuition fee in the Sri Gururaj
Parents and Teachers Association Pre-University College in the city's
southern suburb. It was a reward for passing the SSLC board exam with
distinction.
"The trust also paid for my annual bus pass and
books. I hope to get similar financial assistance from others to study
engineering if I don't get scholarship, as my family cannot afford to
pay the exorbitant fee in a degree college," Shalini said.
Admitting
that it would be a tough call to juggle studies and work as a domestic
help at the degree level, Shalini said she has no choice but to keep
sharing her mother's burden.
She knows her family has no health
insurance or any other source of income to pay for father's and
brother's treatment and meet house expenses.
"Living in a costly
city like Bengaluru has been a struggle, as we don't have property or
assets," said Shalini, adding: "But I have learnt to face troubles and
cope with pressures to excel," Shalini added.