TITORA (MUZAFFARNAGAR): The story of Atul Kumar, a bright-eyed 18-year-old Dalit scholar, has rippled by the quiet, unassuming village of Titora, a spot that hides just a bit off the map, about 100km from Delhi. Regardless of being solely a brief detour from NH-58, which hyperlinks the capital to bustling Muzaffarnagar in UP, Titora stays one thing of a secret — roads dissolve into dusty tracks, apps promising instructions stutter and stall.Travellers should depend on the timeless artwork of asking native of us for instructions.
However when you arrive, there isn’t any mistaking the delight that radiates from its folks. Discovering Atul’s dwelling is straightforward. “Oh, the household with the IIT boys?” chime in passersby. In Titora now, dialog about Atul’s triumph, his despair, and the glimmer of hope supplied by the Supreme Court dominates each tea stall and the village sq..
A Supreme Courtroom bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, on Tuesday had taken up Atul’s plea. From a below-poverty-line household, Atul’s desires of attending IIT (ISM) Dhanbad had been practically extinguished by a missed deadline to pay charges.
He had cleared the JEE-Superior examination however monetary constraints and a technical glitch prevented him from paying the Rs 17,500 acceptance price on time, resulting in the cancellation of his hard-earned seat. In a show of empathy, the highest court docket sought responses from the Joint Seat Allocation Authority and IIT-Madras, the place Atul had sat for his exams, with the CJI promising, “We are going to make it easier to so far as doable.”
Again in Titora, villagers cannot cease speaking concerning the household — arguably probably the most illustrious. Atul’s father, Rajendra Kumar, 47, labours at a material manufacturing facility in Meerut to make Rs 450 per day, whereas his mom, Rajesh Devi, 45, juggles between toiling within the fields and making cots to complement their meagre revenue.
Nevertheless, biking to work and sacrificing private wants, Atul’s brothers achieved outstanding educational success. Mohit Kumar, 24, accomplished his MTech from NIT Hamirpur. Rohit Kumar, 23, graduated with a BTech from IIT-Kharagpur. Amit, 20, is in faculty and doing properly. He needs to go overseas for greater research.
“We’ve just one objective — to coach our 4 sons, regardless of the price,” Rajesh advised TOI on Wednesday.
For Atul, the Supreme Courtroom’s promise provides a second likelihood. “Solely we all know what we have gone by,” he stated. “I would like to do that for my dad and mom. And I am ready to repay Rs 3 lakh which my father took as a mortgage to assist us research.”
When Atul secured admission to the celebrated institute in Dhanbad, the letter of acceptance reached him on June 20. All the village celebrated together with his household, however their delight shortly was despondence. The household had simply 4 days to scrape collectively the acceptance price, a sum that appeared insurmountable.
All of Titora, a village the place aspirations usually suffocate underneath the burden of poverty, gathered round Atul’s dwelling — constructed underneath the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana — to supply their assist. Pawan Kumar, who lent Rs 10,000 to assist with the price, stated, “All the village testifies that regardless of their monetary wrestle, schooling has all the time been their precedence and we’re certain Atul and Amit will go on to emulate their older siblings.”
Rajendra retains repeating that “the Chief Justice has personally assured Atul that the court docket would discover methods to assist him reclaim his seat at IIT”. Neighbours and buddies repeat it together with him. “Decide sahab ne bol diya to hoga (If the CJI has stated it, will probably be carried out)”
That will likely be a begin for the poverty-struck household as the burden of their monetary burdens is immense. Rajendra owes over Rs 3 lakh to buddies, kin, and neighbours. “All the things I earn goes in direction of my sons’ schooling. My spouse retains the family operating with what little she makes,” he stated. Their struggles are apparent.
“For years, we have in the reduction of on the whole lot. We stopped shopping for new garments until it was completely crucial. We predict 100 occasions earlier than deciding what to cook dinner. Craving one thing so simple as paneer is a luxurious we will not afford. Potatoes will do,” Rajendra stated. “For six years now, since my eldest son enrolled at NIT, we have been barely managing. However I consider — I’ve to consider — that higher days will come.”
Atul’s instructor on the native faculty, Rajkumar Motla, described him as “a spring of hope.” He stated: “He is made us all proud. His story is proof that brilliance exists in all places, even within the poorest corners of society.” he added. “We’re all praying for him. Simply see, the gods will pay attention.”
