Support has poured in for Harpreet, the daughter of a daily wager from Sahnewal who was unable to pay the fee after securing admission to IIT Guwahati, from all quarters. The youngster’s story, as reported by The Tribune, has struck a chord across Punjab, with corporates, IAS officers and political leaders and citizens coming forward to offer help.
Like every aspiring engineer, Harpreet dreamt of studying at an IIT. For her, securing admission to IIT Guwahati was the culmination of years of hard work against overwhelming odds. However, financial constraints nearly derailed that dream. Her teachers had lent a helping hand by putting forth an appeal on her behalf.
Today, the family home in Sanhewal was filled with joy. Harpreet’s mother Kuldeep Kaur cooked matar paneer and her siblings prepared a welcome card. Harpreet, currently pursuing an HCL Tech Bee course from Noida, will return home to meet Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain soon.
Kuldeep, the driving force behind her daughter’s journey, was a Class VII drop-out. She wanted to fulfil her dreams through her daughter. Harpreet’s father, Ram Sarup, a daily wager too only studied till Class V. The couple was understandably beaming with pride.
“I have seen generations of my family being born in poverty and dying in poverty. My grandmother, my mother and me, but I wanted to end the cycle. Boys can move out, experience the world but when it comes to girls, education and financial independence is even more important,” says Kuldeep Kaur.
“Most of the funds were used to pay the Tec Bee fee. We were left with nothing. That’s when Harpreet’s teachers started putting the word out,” said Kuldeep.
Kuldeep said their perspective towards life changed when her father was diagnosed with cancer. “We tried our best by arranging funds but could not save him and that was the time I realised that money is everything in life and I never wanted any of my children to go through the same hardship. I always encourage them to work hard and be financially independent,” she said.
Harpreet’s father said they ensure equal opportunities for all their children and Harpreet has proven that daughters and sons were equals.
Her siblings now look up to her as a role model. “We want to become like our didi,” they chorus, their voices carrying the hope of a family determined to break free from the cycle of difficulties. En-route to Ludhiana from Noida on a train, Harpreet is eagerly waiting to meet her family. “As always, I asked my mother to cook something special for me. I cannot wait to be with them,” she said.
