From seeking alms to prescribing balms: Journey of a child beggar from HP who became doctor
Shimla (PTI): As a child, Pinki Haryan, along with her parents, begged on the streets and scavenged for food in garbage dumps in Mcleodganj. Twenty years and a Chinese medical degree later, she is now burning the midnight oil to clear an exam that will make her eligible to practice medicine in India.
It was in 2004 when Lobsang Jamyang, a Tibetan refugee monk and the director of Dharamshala-based charitable trust, spotted Haryan begging. Days later, he visited the slum cluster at Charan Khud and recognised the girl.
Then began the uphill task of convincing her parents, especially her father Kashmiri Lal, to let her pursue education. After hours of persuasion, Lal agreed.
Haryan got admission into the Dayanand Public School at Dharamshala and was among the first batch of students at a hostel for destitute children set up by the charitable trust in 2004.
Ajay Srivastava, president of NGO Umang Foundation, who has been associated with Jamyang for the last 19 years, said initially, Haryan missed her home and parents but kept her focus on studies, which she realised was her ticket out of poverty.
Soon enough, the results were proof of her dedication.
She passed the senior secondary examination and also cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate). The NEET is an all-India entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical courses, Srivastava said.
However, the doors of private medical colleges remained shut for her due to the exorbitant fees. With the help of the Tong-Len Charitable Trust in the United Kingdom, she got admission to a prestigious medical college in China in 2018 and has returned to Dharamshala recently after completing her MBBS course, Srivastava said.
After a wait of 20 years, Haryan is a qualified doctor raring to serve the destitute and give them a better life.
"Poverty was the biggest struggle since childhood. It was painful to see my family in distress. As I got into school, I had an ambition to become successful in life," Haryan told PTI.
"As a child, I lived in a slum so my background was my biggest motivation. I wished for a good and financially stable life," she added.
Sharing a childhood memory, Haryan recalled that during her school admission interview as a four-year-old, she expressed her ambition to become a doctor.
"At that point in time, I had no idea what work a doctor does, but I always wanted to help my community," said Haryan who is preparing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) to become eligible to practice medicine in India.
Haryan, whose brother and sister have enrolled in a school after drawing inspiration from her, credited Jamyang for her "slum-dweller to doctor" success story.
"He (Jamyang) had a vision to help destitute and poor children. He was the biggest support system I had while I was in school. His belief in me was a big inspiration to do well," she said, adding that there were several others like her who have made it big in life due to the support from the trust.
Meanwhile, Jamyang said he had set up the trust in the hope of imparting basic education to destitute children so that they can lead a respectful life.
"I did not realise that these children were so full of talent... They have become role models and are inspiring others," he said.
Srivastava said Jamyang believes that children should not be treated as "machines to earn money". Instead, he says that they should be encouraged to become good human beings.
"He has dedicated his entire life to the children living in slums. Several of them, who once languished in the streets, were adopted by him and have today become engineers, doctors, and journalists," Srivastava said.
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IPL final shifted for bigger stadium, not ticket issue: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday rubbished allegations that the IPL final venue was shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad due to the distribution of tickets to MLAs.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the reason for the shift could be the availability of a larger stadium in Ahmedabad.
“Ahmedabad has a large stadium and can accommodate more spectators. That must be the reason the IPL final was shifted there. There is no connection between ticket distribution to MLAs and the venue change,” he said.
When asked about reports linking the venue shift to MLAs demanding tickets, he quipped, “In some places, 50 per cent of tickets are reserved.”
When reporters said the BCCI had indicated that the decision was linked to ticket issues, he responded, “Let them make such statements. I will respond appropriately.”
Bengaluru was originally expected to host the final as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the defending champions.
Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for a second successive season on May 31, the BCCI announced earlier in the day, while allotting Qualifier 1 to Dharamsala and two other playoff games to New Chandigarh.
The board, however, said the final venue was shifted “owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols.”
Shivakumar declined to comment on the revocation of the suspension of Muslim leaders in Davanagere, saying it was a party decision.
Regarding the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed as CM Siddaramaiah’s political secretary, he said the chief minister had already spoken on the matter.
“The CM has his own information. Party office-bearers have provided guidance. He was given certain responsibilities, which he did not handle properly, which is why he was removed,” Shivakumar said.
On MLC Abdul Jabbar, who resigned as the state Congress minority cell chief and was later expelled from the party, he said Jabbar had submitted his resignation, which the party accepted.
The Congress in Karnataka faced internal dissent in April when several Muslim leaders objected to the party fielding Samarth Shamanur as its candidate for the recently held Davanagere South Assembly bypoll.
They demanded that a Muslim candidate be fielded, citing the constituency’s substantial Muslim population. The party subsequently took disciplinary action against three leaders, including Jabbar and MLC Ahmed.
When asked about his and the CM’s visit to Delhi, he said, “We will go when the high command calls us. It is not appropriate to go without being called.”
On Congress supporting TVK in Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar said the decision was taken to keep the "BJP out of power and strengthen secular forces." Elections to the 234 Assembly constituencies were held on April 23, and the results were announced on May 4.
The Congress party, a long-time ally of the DMK, announced its support for TVK to form a government in Tamil Nadu and severed ties with the Dravidian major.
The incumbent DMK was trounced by the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Vijay, who secured 108 seats. “Despite pressure from the AIADMK and BJP, TVK did not align with them. Our party has taken this decision in the interest of secular forces and the welfare of Tamil Nadu,” Shivakumar said.
