“I am a key to the game of fate. The big buildings... the slum next door... ours is Ghatkopar in Mumbai. I only knew when the people of the slum told me that I was born there. My father Ramachandra Gupta died when I was still in the womb. When I was three years old, my mother Nanda left this world. They both left me without calling me 'Amma... Nanna...'. I lost both my eyes at birth. I was in a miserable state of not being able to see what this world was like. My grandparents admitted me to the missionary schools there. They would come and visit me every now and then. Gradually, they too stopped coming. Finally, I was left an orphan. The fathers in the school church, fellow students... they were everything to me! After my intermediate, I completed my BSW degree from Nirmala Niketan and MSW from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. I did these courses with a social service perspective. My intention was to see that no other orphan suffered like me.
All suffering...
As expected, as soon as I became a PG, I started playing a more active role in service programs. Once, I left for a camp in Nagpur by train. At the railway station in Nagpur, I lost my grip and fell from the platform onto the tracks. My legs were badly injured. I had to undergo surgery for this. This led to health problems for me after that. I would have fits every now and then. I had to take medicine every day. Otherwise, it was difficult to move. However, none of these seemed like big problems in front of my determination.
Derision is nothing new...
A woman... who has no direction. Who has no eyes. However, this society did not take me to heart. It did not even show me mercy. Moreover, they even ridiculed me for being blind. If I were to study...
'What will happen to you? They insulted me. Whether my stomach is full or not... the tears of sorrow would not stop. But who should I tell? How can I bear this pain? There is no day when I do not cry. There is no difficulty that I do not face. For whom should I live? There are times when I would rather die than this. At that time, I would tell myself something courageous. 'I must live. One day I will firmly decide that at least ten other orphans like me must live.' With the help of some good friends, we can solve this
I am able to stand up in the face of challenges.
Research for them...
While participating in service programs on one hand, I am trying to understand the conditions of orphans on the other hand. Because we can solve any problem only if we know the roots. For this, I am currently conducting research on the topic of 'Vulnerability of Orphans in the Contest of Citizenship' at IIT-Mumbai. This research will be useful in fighting for the rights of orphans.
As part of my research, I am meeting orphans in different areas. The main problem that came to my attention on this occasion... is that they do not have any identity documents! This is really sad. I got an Aadhaar card in 2016. But I do not have a permanent address because I have been staying in various missionaries and hostels. Now I am 34 years old. Yet I did not get the right to vote. It is not just me... This is the situation of all orphans.
Everyone should have 'identity'...
My slogan right now is the same... The government should give identity to every orphan who has completed 18 years of age. A card should be given. All those living in shelter homes and ashrams should be identified. The constitution mentions all sections of people but... there is no mention of orphans. We live without knowing who our fathers are... our mothers... where we were born... we have no identity. We have no basis to claim to be citizens of this country except the feeling of being Indians. Due to this, we are in a miserable situation that many governments have not seen for a long time.
That responsibility belongs to the government...
The government should be a big help to people like us who have no direction. It is its responsibility to take in orphans. Many of the unfortunate people who are living on the roads. They are turning to crime. They are getting addicted to drugs. In the feeling that they have no one... they are acting in a bad way, whether it is due to bad governance or not. The government should take the responsibility of guiding them on the right path and making them beneficiaries. The details of orphans should be collected and identity cards should be given to all of them. Reservations should be provided in education and jobs. My struggle will not stop until all this is achieved."
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