Nabarangpur: Gitarani Gouda of Ghadadhanua village of Santoshpur panchyat under Kosagumuda block in this district had lost her mobility since birth after she was affected by polio.
But this has not dampened her spirit to excel in studies and determination to become a teacher in future. Every day she rides on the back of her elder sister to reach school to get her dream realised.
Gita is the youngest of the four daughters of Jayabati Gouda and Biswanath Gouda. Biswanath, a village postmaster runs the family of six with a meager salary of Rs 7,500. While his elder daughter Nilandri is a Class X pass-out and got married in Chhattisgarh, second daughter Hemandri is a school dropout. Third daughter Bhubaneswari couldn’t be enrolled in any college due to poor marks in HSC examination. Gita is physically- disabled since birth.
Though she has had two surgeries under the aegis of of the Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan, it yielded no results. Her restricted mobility did not affect her studies. She studied up to Class VIII in the village school.
The family members used to carry her up to the school at that time. However, she was admitted to a high school to complete school education, which was about five km from the village. Her friend Mansira Bhatra used to take Gita on her cycle to the school. She remained absent whenever Mansira stays back at home. Gita has cleared the HSC this year with B-1 grade and admitted to Nabarangpur Women’s College which is 45 km from her village.
While the college authorities have waived her college tuition fees, Gita along with Bhubaneswari have to hire a small room at Gandhi Chhak in Nabarangpur town to pursue her career. Bhubaneswari carries her younger sister on her back every day to her college.
Though the government had granted a monthly disability allowance of Rs 300 and offered 10 kg rice a month to Gita’s family, she was out of the rice scheme after her allowance was increased to Rs 500 a month, it was learnt.
Gita is unable to ride a tricycle given by the administration. “The earning of my father is inadequate to run the family. I would be obliged if the administration provides me some financial assistance,” said Gita.
