People In Mumbai Join Hands To Raise Money For A Blind Girl Who Chose Education Over Marriage
Amid calamities, emotional tragedies, and general despair about the human race, there's humanity, humility, and kindness.
In what looks like a case of mass compassion, many people came forward to help a blind law student, who chose education over marriage.
In a series of tweets, Sucharita Tyagi, a Mumbai-based RJ shared the soul-stirring story of Nikita Shukla.
Nikita, who's completely blind was abandoned by her family when she shared her will to study. As she refused to get married and was firm on studying further, her parents asked her to leave the house.
Since then, Nikita has been managing on her own. In order to get started, she took some help from her friends and professors at her college, but there's only so much that they can do.
Read her full story here:
1. Sucharita tweeted Nikita's story on her twitter account.
Story time you guys
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
I've been an RJ for 10 years, and today is the FIRST time I truly experienced the power this medium has, what it can do.
2. She explained how tough it is to make those calls. A matter of sheer luck!
When we run contests, we try and pick up as many calls as we can, yet many go unanswered, so for one to get through On Air, is a big deal.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
3. And how she came across Nikita, who seemed like any another caller from Mumbai.
One such lucky contest winner was Nikita Shukla, a third year law student at GLC, currently living at a hostel in South Mumbai
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
This is her. pic.twitter.com/rxzRoQMl9b
4. Until she knew about her story.
When Nikita came to claim her prize at @radiocityindia, she requested to meet RJs (as listeners sometimes do)
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
So I met her a few weeks ago.
5. Sucharita was shocked to find that Nikita was completely blind.
Nikita is completely blind. Something her parents were not very excited about and wanted to get her married right after high school.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
6. But Nikita didn't let her family's coercion affect her decision.
When Nikita refused and insisted on studying further, she was asked to leave the house.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
Father runs his own business btw.
7. She decided to study anyway, with or without her family's support.
Broke and without plan, Nikita bought a ticket to Mathura and was about to leave the city, when her friends convinced her to stay back.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
8. Initially, she took help from her friends. But there's only so much that college students can do.
Friends help Nikita secure a place in a hostel and continue studying to be a lawyer.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
But how much money can college students contribute?
9. Some professors also chipped in!
Enough for her to pay her fee little by little. She's borrowed from friends, sometimes kind professors even. A few small scholarships.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
10. Sadly, it wasn't enough.
But money was not enough to afford the luxury of three meals a day.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
For 3 years, Nikita has been surviving on only dinner. 20 a month.
11. She only ate one meal a day from the 20-free-dinners she got.
The hostel fee paid in one go, gave her 20 free dinners a month, and thats what she would eat
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
All this while, scoring about 80% on her exams
12. Sucharita reveals that Nikita didn't tell her story until she asked her.
Nikita didnt come to @radiocityindia to tell me her story. She just came to collect a prize, but agreed to go on the record when i asked.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
13. And that's what compelled Sucharita to get help for her.
I dont know how many of you heard, but I've been talking about Nikita for little over a week now on my show Mumbai Masala.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
14. The good folks in Mumbai poured help from everywhere.
I received 100 of texts, multiple phone calls over many days. Was surprised n humbled to see even @OnlyBabaSehgal text on our public number.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
15. And they got some mighty cheques in Nikita's name.
We collated this data, and went around collecting cheques made out directly to Nikita.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
Koparkhairaney sey Marine lines tak.
16. Everyone just helped, without questioning Nikita's credibility.
Not ONE person asked for proof, not ONE person said "but what if she runs away with my money?"
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
No, people just opened their hearts and gave
17. They've now given all the money to Nikita.
Today, we handed over the cheques to Nikita.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
18. Which she will use to study further.
We raised enough to cover her tuition, hostel and canteen fee.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
My girl can eat three meals a day now.
And become a kickass lawyer!
19. And will be able to eat 3 meals a day.
A single, blind girl who chose education over family, she couldn't believe people willingly GAVE her their money.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
Nikita Shukla, you star! pic.twitter.com/JiL2TK0dZJ
20. Sucharita also thanked her intern.
Cheques are still coming in btw. My intern (bless you Sapna) is ringing door bells all over Mumbai, as I type.
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
21. And the lovely people in Mumbai for the generous donation.
Wow, this response is overwhelming. You guys are the BEST !
¡ª Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) May 16, 2017
For everyone asking how to help Nikita further we're starting a @ketto page!
Apparently, no one asked for proof and no one even considered the thought of the girl running away with the money. Soon, Nikita was handed over the cheques and with the help of the money raised her tuition, hostel and canteen fee will get covered.
It's true that when you try hard enough, the entire universe conspires to make it happen, and somewhere, in Nikita's success, these humble folks in Mumbai are responsible too.
