“He keeps telling me about the importance of education

I met P. Bhagyalaxmi during my last field visit to Siripur, Bhubaneswar. Shy at first, she got comfortable with me after a little chat.

11 months ago, she took a loan for her son, P Rajeshekhar’s, education. She proudly told me that her son had completed his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (B.Com.) and had got himself a part-time job at Reliance Fresh. She told me that he wants to do his M. Com., but they lack the funds for it. She further said, “He keeps telling me about the importance of education; I just nod and say, “Yes.” I don’t want to promise him things I can’t give.”  

As we sat in her one room kitchen home, sipping tea, she told me distractedly that Rajeshekhar was born with a knee deformation. She said, “He couldn’t bend his right knee, no matter how much he tried.” She told me that she was planning to take a second loan for Rajeshekhar’s M.Com. I was glad to meet her and know more about their story. I thanked her for her time and took this picture before leaving.