“What makes a child gifted and talented may not always be good grades in school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning.”
~ Chuck Grassley

Named by the BBC at the age of sixteen as the “youngest headmaster in the world”, now 26-year-old Babar Ali is the headmaster of Ananda Shiksha Niketan (Home of Joyful Learning) in Murshidabad, West Bengal.

The eldest of four siblings, Babar was born in 1993 in Gangpur. He completed his primary education at Bhabta Rasidiya Primary School. When he was nine, his father, a small-time jute trader, sent him to Beldanga CRGS High School, about 10 kilometres away. Babar had to walk two kilometres to the bus stand, from where he would catch the bus to go to school. It was this walk that changed the course of his life. While returning from school, he saw children playing in the fields. When he asked them, “Would you like to study if I teach you?” they happily said “yes.” Encouraged by their response, Babar started his evening classes in October 2002. Initially, he taught eight children, including his younger sister, basic reading and writing under a guava tree in front of their one-room house. Classes had to end before darkness set in and were dependent on the weather; if it rained class was cancelled.

Amazingly, a nine-year-old was teaching children aged five to nine! Babar improvised a blackboard from terracotta tiles. He conducted class tests and exams and organized activities like sports, dance and music to make school more fun for his students. When Babar asked his teacher in the school where he studied, to give him broken pieces of chalk for his school at home, she refused at first thinking he would scribble on the class walls. But when she came to know about his noble venture, she started giving him a box full of chalks every week.

Sanath Kar, the Principal of Beldanga SRF College, inaugurated Babar’s school in 2003 and named it Ananda Shiksha Niketan. “I hired a mike for Rs 30, and we had a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by song and dance. I borrowed my mother’s sari to decorate the place. I also invited the local Panchayat members and village elders,” recalls Babar.

“Parents were very sceptical about educating their children. They were not educated themselves so they did not realize se the value of education. We went door-to-door asking them to send their kids to school.”

Babar would pick up partly-used notebooks from the raddhiwala for his students. He gave them sweets bought with his pocket money to encourage them to attend classes regularly.

When he was in Class VIII, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen invited him to Shantiniketan where Babar gave a one-hour talk in front of the former finance ministers of West Bengal, and eminent professors.

In 2008, Babar passed his Class X board exams securing first division. Even days before the exam, he was busy opening bank accounts for his students. “I gave them ten days off during my exams,” he adds.

He motivated his first batch of students to join Beldanga High School where he himself studied and six out of eight students followed his advice. They completed their undergraduate courses and joined Ananda Shiksha Niketan as teachers.

In 2009 Babar featured on CNN-IBN’s Real Heroes and was awarded NDTV’s Indian of the Year Award. In 2012, he appeared alongside Aamir Khan on the TV show Satyamev Jayate. He was also made a TED Fellow and shared his story on TED India Talks in Mysore. Since then, he has travelled to Canada and the U.S. for TED Talks. The Karnataka government included a chapter on him in a CBSE Class XII English textbook.

By 2014, more alumni returned to Ananda Shiksha Niketan with formal diplomas in teaching. The number of students rose to 200 and 21-year-old Babar was officially recognized as the ‘youngest headmaster’ by the West Bengal state education department.

In 2007, he purchased 7,200 square feet of land with 10 lakhs donated by one of his supporters. A new school building was inaugurated in 2015 at Shankarpara village, three kilometres away from the previous school.
The state government does not give any financial aid to the school. The school’s annual expenditure is met by donations. Babar provides students with uniforms, mid-day meals, and scholarships with the help of sponsorships and donations. The school is affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education till Class 8; Babar encourages students’ parents to admit them to affiliated schools afterwards.

Currently, the school’s 300 students are taught by ten teachers including Babar and his sister. There is a seven-member management committee comprising of village elders and retired teachers. No salary is given to the teachers nor any fees charged from the students. The school motto? “We must do something extraordinary in this short human life.”

In the future, Babar is hoping to extend the education beyond the schooling level. “My dream is to extend it to college in the future,” he says. He looks forward to starting a hostel facility and smart classrooms.

Babar was inspired by Swami Vivekananda whose words, “Jeebey prem kore jei jon, sheijon sebichhe iswar” (Service to man is service to God) have been his motto in life.

Babar’s advice to parents? “Never underestimate the potential of children. At nine, when I decided to start a school of my own, a single word of discouragement from the part of my parents would have let me down. They trusted me. My call was to become a teacher. Your child’s might be to become a businessman or a scientist or a writer. Motivate them to do what they are passionate about.”

Babar graduated with a B.A. (Honours) in English and went on to do an M.A. (English Literature). He is now pursuing another post-graduate programme in History.

“I believe that if you are passionate about something then you can achieve anything. Age, finances, other hurdles, just don’t matter and eventually everything works out.”

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“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, and kindness in your smile.”
~ Mother Teresa

Sindhutai Sapkal is much more than just a name. Sharing her birthday with Jawaharlal Nehru, the 70-year-old lady hides many stories behind her strong personality. Full of energy and passion, she is referred to as “Mother of Orphans” and as she talks about her life and her children you can see the pain, troubles and miseries she has faced and overcome with her hard work during her lifetime. But, from all the emotions you see on her face, an unusual sense of confidence which she has derived over the years through her experience is something you get inspired by.

“I am there for all those who have no one,” she says with affection. You can see flashes of her life as she talks about her journey and how she became “mother”. Being an unwanted child, she was nicknamed “Chindhi” which means ‘torn piece of cloth’. Though her father was keen on educating her, she could not continue her studies after fourth grade due to family responsibilities. She got married at the tender age of ten to a thirty-year-old man. Her abusive husband beat her up and threw her out of the house when she was twenty, and nine months pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl in a cow shelter outside their house the same day and walked a few kilometres in that condition to her mother’s place, who refused to give her shelter. “I cut the umbilical cord with a sharp-edged stone lying nearby,” she recalls. She thought of committing suicide, but gave up that thought and started begging at railway platforms for food to look after her daughter.

Can you believe that she has now changed the lives of thousands of people! Till date she has adopted and nurtured over 1,400 orphans, helped them get education, got them married and supported them to settle down in life. She is fondly referred to as “mai” (mother). The children are not given up for adoption. She treats them as her own and some of them are now lawyers, doctors and engineers.

The circumstances she has faced could force anyone to lose courage and succumb to the adverse situations. But Sindhutai emerged stronger with every difficulty she faced and became a ‘mother’ to over 1400 homeless children, when she herself was in a hand-to-mouth situation. With her love and compassion, she has gathered a huge family of 207 sons-in-law, 36 daughters-in-law and over 1000 grandchildren. Till date she continues to fight for the next meal. She does not take support from anyone but gives speeches to earn her daily bread and butter. “By God’s grace I had good communication skills. I could talk to people and influence them. Hunger made me speak and this became my source of income. I give many talks at various places and this gets me some money which I use to take care of my children,” she says.

Born in Pimpri Meghe village in Wardha district of Maharashtra, she was keen on completing her education and used Bharadi tree leaves to write as the family could not afford a slate. Her early marriage put an end to her desire to study. “I was told there are only two processions in a woman’s life; once when she gets married and the other when she dies. Imagine my state of mind when they took me in a procession to my husband’s home in Navargaon forest in Wardha,” she says.

While begging, she realized that there are many children abandoned by their parents. Having faced difficulties herself, she could feel their pain and she decided to adopt them. She started begging more earnestly in order to feed the many children that she had adopted. Gradually she decided to adopt every child who came across as an orphan and, over a period of time, she emerged as the “mother of orphans”. “When I was out myself on the streets begging for food and fighting for survival each day, I realized that there are so many orphans who have nobody to go to. I decided to take care of them and raise them as my own,” Sindhutai says.

To eliminate the feeling of partiality among children she gave away her biological daughter to Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai, Pune. Her daughter herself runs an orphanage today. Many years later, her husband came back to her and apologized for his harsh deeds. Having devoted all her life to the orphans, she forgave him and accepted him as her ‘child’, as she could only harbour motherly love for all. She affectionately introduces her aged husband as the eldest child!

She has six organizations operating under her name which work towards various needs of orphans. “I had no one with me, everyone abandoned me. I knew the pain of being alone and unwanted. I didn’t want anyone to go through the same. And I feel immense pride and pleasure to see some of my children doing so well in their lives. One of my children made a documentary on my life,” she says. Her life’s story inspired many and a Marathi film called Mee Sindhutai Sapkal was made on her life which won a national award. She has received over 500 awards for her extraordinary support to orphans. Whatever amount she received as awards, she used it to construct homes for her children. The construction is still going on and she is constantly looking for more help from across the globe to give shape to her dreams. “I approached the Maharashtra government several times for help but I never received it. I used to beg earlier to fulfil the needs of my children and I will continue to do so,” she says.

The unusual life of Sindhutai is an inspiration for all of us. Even after facing so many hardships, she stood tall and made her way into everyone’s heart. She proved that if you are dedicated, nothing can stop you from changing the lives of thousands of people around you. We salute this brave lady and hope that the country gives birth to many more such strong daughters and mothers.

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“He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, he provideth a kindness for many generations, and faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.”
— Henry Van Dyke

He is a man on mission to plant trees and bring back the green cover. Wherever he sees a barren spot, he takes seeds from his pocket and plants them there. People say he has planted over one crore trees. He recollects that as a child he saw his mother saving the seeds of ribbed gourd for the next planting season. He learnt his first lesson from her. He says, “Seed is the secret of evolution. God has given life to it and it proves to the world its existence by giving birth to a plant which is wedded to soil, during the monsoon. The plant withstands several onslaughts by the humans around her, and finally to grow into a mighty tree and saves the same people who tormented her. Not satisfied with just her own survival, she strews seeds on the ground to create the future generation and continue with her good work.”

Meet Daripalli Ramaiah of Khammam district in Telangana. People know him as Chettla Ramaiah, where Chettu means ‘tree’. Riding a cycle, holding the handle with one hand and sprinkling seeds on the sides of the road is how he goes about his mission of greening. “Of all the species that consider the earth as their home, the most exalted is the human being. He supposedly has intellect, can think, can do and can get things done. Nature has bestowed her choicest blessings on this form of life. Therefore, we have a duty towards Nature. Protect nature; protect everything created by God, for posterity,” says Ramaiah. What does he get in return? Satisfaction, contentment and sublime peace on seeing the saplings taking root to later stand erect as mighty trees.

Passionate about his mission, Ramaiah has collected native seeds such as Bael (Bilva), Peepal (Bauhinia Racemosa), Kadamba (Nanclea Cadamba), Nidra Ganneru (Albezia Soman), Kanuga (Pongamia), Neem (Azadirechta Indica), Erra Chandanam (Red Sanders), and many more, and chose the canal banks from Khammam, Palleguda Bridge and started greening the four kilometre stretch on both sides of the path. He has raised plants on every piece of barren land, which have now become huge trees saluting him with all their humility. He planted trees in the local library premises and the local temple. He knows the history of almost every tree there. He recollects with satisfaction how he requested an MLA to plant a tree. He makes it a point to request any dignitary visiting his area to plant a tree. This nature lover also paints on the walls of the villages slogans and messages in Telugu about the environment and the need for trees. His slogan is “Vrikshio Rakshati Rakshitah” which means, “If you save the trees, they will save you”.

“One who smears sacred ash is a priest, one who wears Khaki is a policeman and one who adorns a green scarf is Ramaiah,” is his reply to his critics who feel that he is wasting his time.

Ramaiah doesn’t just plant trees, he also knows their uses. This profound knowledge was acquired by reading old books purchased from second-hand bookshops; it makes him a walking encyclopaedia on plants.

Lack of money does not deter him from pursuing his passion. A relative who knew the commercial value of certain trees advised him to cut and sell the red sanders trees in his courtyard. Ramaiah replied that he was developing a seed bank for posterity and his trees would only help in producing more trees. “I do not believe in people who cut trees but prostrate before a stone. For me, Nature is God and God is Nature.”
Ramaiah collects seeds every season, raises a nursery of red sanders plants and distributes them for free. He takes whatever money people give for his plants and uses it to raise more plants.

Ramaiah also became a sculptor by accident. When he was chased by children while on his cycle, he fell and sustained a fracture. This immobilized him for a few months. His undying spirit told him that while his legs are immobile, his hands were free. He learnt sculpting with the help of nails and hammers. He painted and sculpted stones with slogans and images of leaves, plants and trees.

Breaking the shells of teak seeds was painful and time-consuming for Ramaiah. So he made a seat for his wife using a bag of the seeds. Her constant movements while sitting on the bag and cooking before the fire, helped break the shells, making his task easier. This shows us how involved Ramaiah is in his task. His wife has played an important role on his journey, standing by his side through thick and thin and helping him fulfil his passion. Ramaiah has developed his own green philosophy: “Instead of giving a fruit to children, give them a plant. Let them nurture the plant into a tree and enjoy its fruits forever. This way, they learn to love nature. Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. Similarly, today’s plants are tomorrow’s trees.”

Ramaiah is highly honoured in his area. He adorns himself with crowns and scarves with slogans on them and parades around on his cycle like an emperor. Those who heckled him once adore him now. He has spent his entire life greening the land like a soldier who spends his life protecting his motherland.

Ramaiah was the recipient of the Padma Shri Award in 2017 for his invaluable contribution to extending tree cover. The administration has been paying the environmental activist 1,500 a month to support his mission. Officials, he claims, have promised to enhance it, but it has not materialized so far. A nursery to support his mission is what he dreams of.

There are many people who have done their jobs with passion, but Ramaiah chose his passion as his unpaid job. There may not be another Ramaiah when it comes to raising trees. He is a model of humility and devotion to work and an inspiration to many.

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“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

He can be termed, without doubt, as Gujarat’s best ambassador of tourism. Donning a Gandhi topi, a khadi kurta and carrying the Mahatma’s message: “Be the change” on his autorickshaw, Udaysinh Ramanlal Jadav believes in the principle of ‘atithi devo bhav’ and goes that extra mile to treat his customers as God. Born and brought up in Ahmedabad, with a family of 10: parents, three kids, wife, brother, sister and her son, Udaybhai comes from a very middle class family with a load of responsibilities. It takes a lot of guts to jump into something like this for a person with this kind of a family background. But his conviction of belief, determination to add love to his work, and pleasant experiences when customers hear about his idea, drives him to accomplish his mission.

Udaybhai, as he is known, was like any other rickshaw driver for 10 years. But one day, on one of his regular trips to the Gandhi Ashram, he saw volunteers of the NGO Manav Sadhna rendering selfless service to the needy. Inspired by them, he decided to follow the principles of the Father of the Nation in word and deed. Udaybhai started “Ahmedabad no Rickshawalo” on 21 October 2010, the auspicious day of Dassera, with the concept of gift-economy in mind. The idea behind gift-economy is that someone before you has paid for your travel; now you have to pay-it-forward for subsequent passengers. However, the most impressive thing about Udaybhai is that he doesn’t charge his customers according to the meter, because the meter always reads ZERO! After every trip, he provides the passenger with a self-written greeting card-cum-envelope, which reads ‘Pay from your heart’, in which the passenger places the amount of his/her choice.

When asked if it doesn’t pinch him, he says, “I have no complaints. Whatever I earn at the end of the day, I use it to run my household. I will continue to treat my guests with respect and make them feel at home.”

To make his customers’ journey comfortable, Udaybhai has a mini library in the auto with books on heritage, tourist places and pilgrimage sites to visit in the city, besides English and Gujarati newspapers. An MP3 player provides his passengers with a choice of songs to listen to and there’s a small fan for the summer months. Hungry? There are two boxes containing snacks and drinking water! A dustbin to throw the remains has also been provided. If the journey at night is long, he has installed a portable light for your reading pleasure.

The exterior of the auto also attracts attention. On the front is painted, ‘Love all’, while the mudguard displays the religious symbols of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities, which Udaybhai says “is to convey the message of secularism”. On the side he has hung a board that says in Hindi and English, “Namaste and welcome to Ahmedabad. I am Uday, at your service. I will take you on a journey of Ahmedabad’s streets and across its bustling bridges to experience Gandhi’s legacy and architectural masterpieces…” The message ends with his mobile number and the website www.movedbylove.org.

When asked why he does this, his response is always, “I just want to help people and give them a good experience. If people don’t help each other, then who will?”

The Good Samaritan has a donation box, Akshay Patra, in his auto in which passengers can deposit money; he puts a number of coins daily in the box which he uses to help needy people. He refuses money from disabled, poor, and elderly people.

To improve his service, Udaybhai has a suggestion book for his passengers. Here’s what some passengers wrote in the book:

“This day I have found something new, which I have never seen before. An auto that has newspapers, magazines, MP3 player, reading light and other impressive facilities. The driver is well-mannered and polite, in contrast to the other auto drivers in our city.” —Pravin Jhankat, Rajkot

“The slogans were really inspiring. The driver was very polite. Udaybhai, you are a real Indian! Let every Indian keep an akshay patra like you.” —Dr Girish Panchal, Ahmedabad

Quoting a pleasant and memorable experience, Udaybhai said: “Once, while I was returning after dropping off a passenger, I saw a blind man trying to cross the road. But he wasn’t able to do so due to heavy traffic. So I went to him and asked to hop into the auto. After taking him to the other side of the street, I asked him where he wanted to go. He said, “No thanks, I will reach on my own.”

He was probably hesitant since he thought that I would charge him. After insisting, he said that he wanted to reach his blind men’s hostel. He told me his entire life story and I shared mine with him. Talking about all this, we reached his hostel. The hostel warden came out running, worried since it was unusual for students to come in a private auto till the hostel gates. However, he was pleasantly surprised once he came to know about the concept and invited me for a cup of tea.” These are the kind of experiences that keep Udaybhai’s spirits alive in spite of all the financial hiccups.

Udaybhai’s beliefs and principles are contagious. His wife now prepares dhoklas and lassi for passengers. Other auto drivers, motivated by him, have transformed their autos for a friendlier experience.

His compassion and generosity have seen him make it into the news several times and he has received awards such as Red FM’s Bade Dilwale, the Rotary Club of Ahmedabad Award, and Baroda Management Award. Celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Chetan Bhagat have flown to Ahmedabad just to meet him. He gets invited to schools and to entrepreneur meets to talk about his efforts and motivate them.

Udaybhai now has a van to address the growing needs of “comfort travel”, calling it ‘Sabarmati no Saarthi’. This too is run on the concept of gift economy, and has the same facilities as his auto, including clothes for people who need them.

Udaybhai believes that, at the end of the day, it is the absolute peace of mind and not money that will bring him a good night’s sleep.

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A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s driver over two decades ago, 56-year-old V. Kathiresan is now an assistant professor at Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Tamil Nadu, thanks to the former Indian President’s motivation.

V Kathiresan had to drop out of school to support his family. Years later, working for A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as his driver, he was encouraged to restart his education. Today, he has a Ph.D., has written two books, and is an assistant professor at the Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Vadachennimalai, Tamil Nadu. Anything is possible or shall we say nothing is impossible. V Kathiresan’s story proves that.

“I can never forget the role played by Kalamayya (sahib). I worked as a driver with him for five-and-a-half-years, and during those long drives I used to talk to him about my aspirations and dreams. One day while driving, Ayya suggested that I should resume my studies. He told me that the best way to go about it was through the distance mode of education.”

It wasn’t easy for Dr Kathiresan. After working a 10 to 6 job, he would come home and study to catch up on all those lost years. His struggle against the odds has become an example for his students. One of his students, Santhosh Mani, says his teacher’s story is like a fairytale. “We complain so much about work load and the other burdens of life,” says Mani. “Today, I look up to him and tell myself that anything is possible. It is just a matter of dedication and effort.”

Dr Kathiresan lost his father very early in life and had to support his family. Though he was always fond of studying, financial problems compelled him to drop out of school. “It was one of the most painful decisions of my life, but I accepted it as a way of life.” He trained as an electrician and joined the Indian Army in 1979. His first posting was in Bhopal, then Sikkim, followed by Hyderabad. He first met A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, in the 1980’s. Kalam was the director at the time and Kathiresan was deputed as his driver. Kathiresan caught the former Indian President’s attention when Kalam saw him reading newspapers, magazines and books. It was then that Kalam encouraged and motivated him to study further.

“I must thank the Almighty that I was given such an opportunity,” says Dr Kathiresan. “If not for Kalamayya’s inspirational words, I would have never been able to achieve this. Even after Ayya left DRDO, I continued to ponder over what he said about the importance of education.”

With the help of Dr Kalam, Kathiresan learned English, the subject in which he failed in his Class X. He reappeared for his Class 10 exams and cleared his English paper. He then appeared for the Class XII examinations and went on to obtain a B.A. (History) from Madurai Kamraj University through distance education. He later completed an M.A. in Political Science.

He quit his job in 1996 to focus on his higher studies and joined the Chief Education Officer’s Office in Tirunelveli as a supervisor. “I wrote to Dr Kalam to inform that I quit DRDL and joined the CEO’s office. I was touched when I got a reply. By then, he had become the President. I still have the letter with me,” says Dr Kathiresan.

“I noticed that as the days passed, the urge to pursue higher studies started creeping into my system. I did my B.Ed. followed by a M.Ed. from Madras University and then an M.Phil. from Kamraj University. I then did law and finally a Ph.D. (History) from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.”

“After completing my Ph.D., I called Ayya. The kind words and the appreciation that he gave me are more important than anything else in this world. He had faith in me and I did not let him down.”

In 2001, Kathiresan passed the teachers’ recruitment exam, and was selected on merit. His first assignment as a teacher was at Kovilpatti. He was soon posted in Virudhunagar district collectorate, where he reported to the collector and worked as a coordinator of teacher training programmes. He was soon appointed as an assistant professor in Government Arts and Science College in Athur.

Apart from this he has written four books on history and a travel guide for Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu.

Dr Kathiresan cannot forget the role his wife Kasthuri played in his entire struggle. A teacher herself, she was a rock through his difficult times.

Grateful that he had Dr Kalam as a mentor, Dr Kathiresan now wants to help other students who have not had a chance to complete their education. “I would be only too glad if I could pass this on to several students who have the urge to learn and strive to be the best.”

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“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.”
— Marissa Mayer (former CEO of Yahoo!)

At 19, Shalini married Major Avinash Singh. She continued with her studies also after marriage. Two years passed happily, and the couple was blessed with a child in 1999. Major Avinash was posted to Kashmir at the time which meant long hauls with little or no connection. But the two made it work. Mobile phones were not common those days, so the only means of communication was the STD booth. To talk for five minutes both of them had to wait for about an hour. Shalini remembers how Avinash would enjoy listening to the meaningless chatter of his baby son.

Shalini was managing the roles of a mother, a wife, and a student, waiting for the day when the family would be united. But fate willed otherwise. On 28 September 2001, she got a message from Major Avinash’s unit that he had been seriously injured after killing four terrorists. He attained martyrdom at the age of 29. Shalini was a widow at 23 and a mother of a two-year-old son.

Initially, she was in a state of shock. She did not know how to react to people coming to offer condolences. She even thought of ending her life, but the face of her son made her change her mind. She gathered courage and decided to live, if not for herself, at least for her son Dhruv, who was oblivious of the catastrophe that had hit the family. “Dhruv brought life back in me. I had to be strong, for him. I decided to join the Army. I was not sure how I would do it. I was very fragile and delicate physically. I was a pampered child of my family. When I met his unit officers at my home, I told them that I had decided to join the Army,” she says.

Some of her friends and relatives were supportive of her decision, but others tried to dissuade her given the tough training and difficult service conditions in the Army. Moreover, Dhruv was a toddler and dependent on her. Shalini thought that Dhruv was her greatest strength and she would not let it become her weakness. She focused on the future and decided that she would do all it took to become an Army officer.

She dropped out of her postgraduate course and enrolled for coaching to prepare for the Service Selection Board (SSB) interview. Her efforts bore fruit, and she was called for an interview at SSB Allahabad in December 2001. Barely three months had passed after the death of her husband. As the interview was one week long, she asked her parents to accompany her. They stayed separately with Dhruv as they were not allowed inside the SSB campus. At a fixed time she would go to a nearby park where her parents would be waiting with Dhruv. This was to enable her to feed him as he refused to eat from his grandparents. Co-candidates who watched the events unfold lauded her. While she put up a brave face during the day, she couldn’t help crying at night, as she missed her son.

Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks when she got the news that she had cleared the SSB interview. Shalini was required to stay for another week for the medical tests. She convinced Dhruv to return with his grandparents, and the little boy happily agreed.

After being found medically fit, Shalini reported for training to the Officer’s Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai. On the one hand, she was feeling the pangs of separation from her three-year-old son, and on the other hand, the gruelling physical training exhausted her daily.

She completed the rigorous six-month training in September 2002, and passed out as a commissioned officer. It was a sea change from saree/suits to OG uniform and army boots. So strong was her determination that she achieved her dream just three weeks before Major Avinash’s first death anniversary.

When Major Avinash was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra (the second highest gallantry award), it was Shalini who proudly received it from the then President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

For years she dedicatedly served the country and fought to break the glass ceiling as a single mother working in a male-dominated environment. She only quit the defence force to help her then 16-year-old son. After that, she worked in an MNC to support her son and plan for his future. Dhruv has since appeared in the NDA entrance examinations. His dream is to become an Army officer and do his parents proud.

Settled in Delhi, the former captain did not stop winning at life. Fifteen years after the death of her husband, 39-year-old Shalini went on to be crowned ‘Classic Mrs India — Queen of Substance 2017’, a title apt for the woman of steel that she is.

Captain Shalini is a spectacular example not just for the many army widows who undergo tremendous difficulties after the loss of their husbands but also for women and girl children across India. Her story will inspire them to not give up, not even in the face of personal loss. Her struggle and never-say-die attitude will continue to inspire women for years to come.

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It is quite surprising that no Mumbaikar has become a scientist at ISRO. It is even more remarkable that Prathamesh Hirve became the first to break that spell considering the odds that he faced. 25-year-old Prathamesh’s journey to the incredible heights of space research is all the more amazing because of his humble beginnings. Living in a 10×10 shanty in the densely populated Filterpada slums in Powai, Mumbai, Prathamesh never lost sight of his goal.

His friends and neighbours would see him study day and night, and often asked him what he hoped to achieve, but Prathamesh never allowed his self-confidence to dwindle. “My aunt and parents took me for an aptitude test in south Mumbai. The counsellor told my parents that my cousin had the aptitude for engineering, but that I should choose a career in Arts instead. I was upset, but refused to give up. I told my parents that no matter what, I would become an engineer, and they believed in me,” recalls Prathamesh. In 2007, he got admission to Bhagubhai Mafatlal Polytechnic College for a diploma in electrical engineering. This was the beginning of his journey, but he had yet to overcome the most significant challenge — the language barrier.

Prathamesh had studied in a Marathi medium school up to Class X. The first two years of the diploma course were challenging for him because he could not understand English and complex engineering terms. He became a backbencher so the professor would not ask him questions. In the second year, he told his teacher about the language problem, and was advised to refer to the dictionary as often as possible. During his internships at Larsen & Toubro and Tata Power as well, his teachers encouraged him to go for a degree, so he decided to pursue a degree from Smt. Indira Gandhi College of Engineering in Navi Mumbai.

After earning his degree in 2014, Prathamesh had big dreams for his future, but not everything worked out the way he had planned. He applied for a coveted post in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruitment but failed. He then set his sights on the sky, and applied to ISRO in 2015, but could only make it to the waiting list. By this time, he had started getting job offers, so he took up a job as an engineer. But his goal was to make it to ISRO, so, in May 2016, he applied again. There were 16,000 candidates, out of which only nine could be selected — Pratamesh was one of them. “I struggled for ten long years before I could reach ISRO. I have got my initial posting at Chandigarh. Now I will give my parents a better home and life,” says ISRO’s newest electrical scientist.

Prathamesh’s family members had never heard of ISRO until he landed a job there. His mother, Indu, says, “I have studied up to Class 3. Initially, I could not understand what this job meant. When my husband explained that our son would be working with such an elite organization, I was in tears. I remembered all the difficult times since his childhood. I am very proud of him; he has realized his dream.”

Prathamesh’s achievement is even more exciting for his father, Soma, a primary school teacher. “When Pratamesh refused to join Arts stream and insisted on Science, I cautioned him that he would have to work very hard. He would study all day till late night, and our lights would never be switched off. Everyone at our native place in Dahiwadi, Satara, is as proud of him as we are.”

Prathamesh has actualized the famous quote from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist: “When you want something desperately, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

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Vicky Roy has taken his street dreams to their pinnacle from the trials and tribulations of being a dhaba-boy and fighting against the pain and pathos of grinding poverty, literally with no possessions other than irresistible aspiration, relentless hard work and a determination to live a better life.

Despite being born to appallingly poor parents in Purulia district of West Bengal, Vicky dreamed of a better life. At the tender age of 11, Vicky ran away from home and set off to Delhi with the 800 rupees that his mother had given him to buy cement for the ongoing construction work in the house. Reality was far cruel and tougher than his previous life in the claustrophobic town and he found himself in the midst of nowhere. He started his life as a rag picker, rummaging through mountains of garbage and dragging out damaged plastic products. But very soon he faced trouble from local ruffians who started harassing him and snatching his earnings. Frustrated, he took up a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant where he worked through the day for Rs 50 and spent days either without food or having guests’ leftovers. It continued until a lady took pity on him and gave him the address of a children’s NGO — Salam Baalak Trust (SBT). With the help of SBT, he started attending school; he would take care of the NGO’s young boys and help them with their homework.

After Class 10, he joined the National Institute of Open Schooling where he developed an aptitude for photography. It was here that he met a British filmmaker who was making a documentary on SBT. Vicky began to serve as his assistant documenting the atrocious lives of Delhi’s street kids. He learnt several tricks of fine photography besides fixing the tripod for the photographer, loading camera rolls, and arranging boisterous street kids together in a pose.

When Vicky turned 18, he had to leave SBT, but was soon hired as assistant to a well-known photographer who became his mentor, teaching Vicky about lighting and other photography concepts.

Photography was now Vicky’s profession. Street life and street kids were his favourite themes. In 2007, his 25-odd photographs were selected by The India Habitat Gallery in New Delhi. The exhibition titled ‘Street Dreams’ was sponsored by the British High Commission and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). He sold seven photos, each for Rs 10,000.

In 2008, he was chosen for a six-month residency at the International Centre for Photography, New York, and given access to the World Trade Centre (WTC) site. His work was exhibited at WTC 7, and won the Duke of Edinburgh Award; he was invited to lunch with Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace. This was the first time that he had heard of the palace.

Vicky began to give back to society. He started a photo library, Rang, that organizes photography workshops for children in schools and shelters. Located at Ojas Art Gallery in Mehrauli, it has high-quality books on photography accessible to everyone.

In 2013, Vicky took part in a National Geographic Channel (NGC) organized reality show. Somebody spotted him on TV from his village Purulia, and he was soon reunited with his mother and siblings.

Today, the 30-year-old is an acclaimed freelance photographer in India and around the world. His photographs have now travelled across several countries. His book Home Street Home showcases the best of his work. He says: “If you want to do something in your life then you will always have to work hard; there is no shortcut to success. If you want to make your dreams come true, keep an eye on them. By fleeing the fears of obstacles, you will never succeed.”

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It is human nature not to like being criticized. But the fact is, you cannot avoid criticism! As Aristotle says: “Criticism is something you can only avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

We are always looking forward to appreciation. When people speak kind words we feel happy. When people find fault with us we feel miserable. But if we only accepted false praise and flattery, how would we ever improve in life?

There are two types of criticism — constructive and destructive. Learning to recognize the difference between the two can help you deal with any criticism you may receive. Constructive criticism is meant to help you. Destructive criticism is only intended to cause hurt.

How to handle criticism

As criticism is inevitable, let’s equip ourselves to face it without being thrown off balance.

Respond to the content not the tone of the criticism. Sometimes people make valuable critical comments and offer equally valuable suggestions. However, their tone and style of criticism is hurtful and sometimes offensive. It puts us down emotionally and we focus on their confrontational manner. In this respect, we need to separate the criticism from the style of criticism. Even if people speak in an angry tone, we should try to detach the emotions involved from the useful suggestions which lie underneath. This is easier said than done. It requires a lot of effort, but believe me, it is worth it.

Don’t respond immediately. Give a deliberate pause to control your emotions. You don’t have to blow up every time someone passes a critical remark. Your first instinct might be to immediately respond or defend yourself, but it is best to resist the urge; delay your response until you’ve composed your thoughts. By doing this you prevent yourself from acting defensively or saying something you may regret later.

Acknowledge that you might be wrong. This is perhaps the most crucial and most difficult step for most of us. If you’ve identified criticism as constructive, then ignore the rude manner, harsh tone, and personality of the person offering said criticism. It’s good to be confident of yourself and your abilities, but it’s also important to accept that we cannot see our shortcomings. If someone is pointing out our shortcomings, let’s accept it and make due effort to correct them.

Change your perspective. Know the difference between destructive and constructive criticism. You have to know where the feedback is coming from and understand the intentions of the person who is criticizing you. If it’s a teacher or an elder, then chances are they only want you to perform better; but when it’s coming from a friend, an acquaintance or even a stranger, then you have to ponder whether or not the person has your best interests in mind.

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