Look who is going to BSchool this fall!

The tall, dusky lady at the back row in the class was very silent until the last day of our three day workshop organized for rural women.The targeted audience was women who could not continue their studies after matriculation or PUC due to different reasons. We spoke about various options available to pursue higher education even within the comforts of their homes, even without spending thousands for admission fees, tuitions, living expenses etc. Most of them were working in an Auto Manufacturing unit that employed about 500+ women in their factory floors and assembly lines. With ageing parents to support, and kids attending the local primary school, quitting the job to pursue higher education was out of question for all of them. They worked 8hrs a day, six days a week, for a meager 2000 per month.

In the first two days, we were mostly talking about opportunities in pharmacy, nursing, engineering diploma, trade certifications etc. Majority of them were matriculates; and talking about anything beyond this repertoire did not make sense to us. My colleague was winding up the last session on the third day. The lady at the back row stood up, sir "can you also talk about management education? I know it may not make sense for me to even dream about a MBA at this time, but I would really like to know." The rest of the class was silent.

Shira Banu was a school drop out. She worked in the factory floors for two years as a cleaner, sold pan and tea near the bus stop in the evenings and went back to school the following year. With an ageing father, and two siblings still in primary schools, Shira struggled to complete her PUC. Having secured 65% marks in the commerce stream; and standing fourth in the state, she caught media attention. Her life and achievements were featured in most of the city news papers, and TV channels!

Three years down the line, Shira graduated in Commerce by attending evening classes, and continued working on the factory floors during the day. Her absolute commitment and sincerity at the workplace got her multiple accolades, and was promoted as an accountant in the back office. The NGO that we were part of worked through various media to bring her story to the masses. Well wishers came forward with the offers of sponsoring her higher education.

Sipping coffee and skimming through the newspaper on that lazy Sunday morning, it took quite a while for me to recollect the smiling face of Shira. Come next fall, she is heading to one of the world's leading BSchools to pursue the management education that she has been dreaming for years! With exemplary academics, five years of solid work experience, and armed with hard learned lessons from her own life, am sure she had one of the most genuine, straight from the heart Statement of Purpose!

What an incredible journey! Dreams come free of cost; but she also knew their realization doesn't!

Cheers
Roy