The Journey Of Two Teens, From Jharkhand To Japan

Source & Image: Hindustan Times

It is always the passion that drives the actions and defies the odds. Being from a deprived contract labourer’s family or a needy farmer household, nothing restricts the zeal and enthusiasm for learning. Two teens from Jharkhand are going all the way to Japan to prove India’s mettle globally.

This influencing story is of 15-year-old Pushpa Kumari from Jharkhand’s Bundu and 16-year-old Anil Singh from Ramgarh chosen amongst the talented youth to represent India in the Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science) in May.

The young innovators have come up with brilliant ideas to deal with different social and environmental problems arising in India.

Pushpa has raised her voice to confront the plight of infant malnutrition. She has developed an affordable baby food “Baal Amrit” costing a mere Rs 59 per kilogram containing all the crucial nutrients needed for a baby. The food is around more than 20 times cheaper than the packaged food products.

“Baal Amrit has all the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients important for the growth of a baby. It has been made using 15 food products including wheat, peanut, soya bean, basil and iodine salt among others,” Shashikant Mishra, her teacher who helped her develop it, said.

She was among the five brilliant students selected for the INSPIRE Award Scheme held at IIT-Delhi in December 2015 aimed at promoting scientific talent among children.

Pushpa, who helped her family toiling in the field and rearing cattle at home did not go to school till she was 11 years old, joined Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) only in class 6.

Honouring the achievements of the labourer’s daughter, The Jharkhand HRD department made a decision to launch her product in the market. This will surely relieve the family living in indigence.

Aradhana Patnaik, secretary at school education and literacy department said, “We will provide her with the required help. We are planning to first test the baby food in a few Anganwadi centres and then launch it in the market,”

Anil is a farmer’s son from Class 10th at Pindra’s Sramik High School in Topa, Jharkhand. Amidst the scarcity of resources, the young teen pioneered a wonderful model showing how coal mines could be used after extraction of coal from them by putting dust material under the earth. His model was also selected for INSPIRE award.

A farmer’s life is very tough with no other means of alternate income. If the crop fails, the first casualty will be their children’s education. The keenness of Anil towards studies led him to overcome all these socio-economic barriers.

“I want to do something extra for my family and nation. I believe in high and positive thinking,” Anil said.

“I am a farmer and my wife is a housewife. We do not properly know what my son has done but we know he is going abroad for his good work. May god bless my son so that he can do well for the country,” Anil’s father Krishna Karmali said.

District education officer Ratan Singh said that Anil is extremely talented and has a potential to excel. He will go a long way if he gets proper support. He added, “I am glad to share that teachers are contributing for his Japan visit”.

The Logical Indian cordially wishes for their success. The spark they have ignited for the education of the poor transforms into the flame and a lot of children draw inspiration from them.