Kaliapani: A girl from the nomadic Mankedia tribe here in Jajpur district has become the first member from her community to sit for the ongoing HSC examination.
The girl was identified as Monika Mankedia, daughter of Ramdas Mankedia near Tata Steel Colony in the Kaliapani mining region. This has spread cheers in her community in the area as they expect her to become successful in the examinations.
This has become possible due to the untiring efforts of local social activist Samrat Gupta, sources said. She had to study in her shanty without light and books. She did not lose hope and kept studying by borrowing books from friends. She often stayed at home and did not attend classes due to her family problems.
However, the headmaster of the school Khetrabasi Barik met her family at home and managed to convince them about of the utility of study. Barik also waived off all her school fees.
Sources said 10 families of Mankedia tribe came to Kaliapani region in 1990 and started living near the Tata Colony. Its members had no vocation as they used to hunt monkeys in jungle and eat its meat. It was easy for them as the area was covered in dense forests.
Gupta observed their calling and decided to bring them into mainstream. He engaged some of them in chromite loading work in mines. He also persuaded other social activists to teach the children of the tribe.
He even admitted many of them to local school. Monika first received her education in the local primary school and was later admitted to the local Sharmashkati high school. PNN