Sangeetha

Sangeetha

She was a class 9 drop out can proudly say that she has come a long way to achieve her dream in real life. Sangeetha faced so many difficulties in her life. Her alcoholic father abandoned the family when she was a kid.

She grew up seeing her mother and sister working constantly to back the five-member family. Following an eye operation, her mother was left jobless and her sister was only one to support the family. Breaking all the shackles, she steered the Indian football team at the Street Child Football World Cup held in Moscow, Russia, in May 2016.

Sangeetha captained the Indian team in the third edition of the World Cup, which saw the participation of children from 24 other countries.“I dropped out of school in the 9th standard, when I was 13 years old, to help my family. My dad suffered from alcohol addiction and left us long ago. My mum and sister were working to support the family. But we weren’t able to make ends meet.

So I joined a steel vessel manufacturing firm across the street, where we had to melt old vessels, make new ones from the alloy and polish them. The job came with a high risk of Tuberculosis,” she was quoted as saying by the News Minute.

Sangeetha wasn’t someone who delved into disappointment when people said football isn’t meant for girls. But she was one who defied all the odds just like how Lionel Messi dribbles past the players with relative ease. This goes to show that how much passion she has for the game and she didn’t bat an eye what others told about her.

In an interview with dtnext, this bright prospect narrated her life on the street, how football has changed her completely. “People from my street look at me with a lot of admiration. To be honest, I am enjoying this phase of my life. I am glad that they’ve recognised my talent, finally,” she added.

It took Sangeetha’s coach just a few months to understand that she was a natural talent.In her very first tournament, the 'Slum Soccer Gamesa' organised in Besant Nagar, she brought laurels to her team. At that time, she represented Karunalaya’s girls team. The team won the tournament and Sangeetha brought home the Best Player award.

From here, there was no looking back.In 2016, she was the only player from Tamil Nadu to be selected as part of the squad representing India in the Homeless World Cup held in Glasgow, Scotland.

"They told us only a few months before the tournament and I was besides myself with joy. It was the first time I went outside Chennai, my first time in a flight and my first ever trip abroad," smiles Sangeetha.

Following this, she was selected to represent India in the 2018 Street Child World Cup in Moscow, this time as captain - an achievement that made her the pride of her street.

"We won against Mexico and I scored one goal in our game. We gave it all we got," she says.Sangeetha's strength is her level of fitness, says her mentor and street co-ordinator Vasanth, who works for Karunalya.

"I didn't have a birth certificate or an address proof to show. We only had a Voter's ID. So it was difficult to get a passport as they said that I need to show them a permanent address to get one. We don't have a permanent address. This street is my address. This is when Karunalaya director's intervened and helped me get my passport and visa for Scotland," Sangeetha says.

Jyoti

Jyoti

Soberan, then 30-years-old and a bachelor, was returning home after a hard day’s work as a vegetable seller.he suddenly heard a baby’s cry in a distance and went to investigate. To his shock he found a tiny tot a baby girl lying on the heap of garbage.

Soberan looked around to see if the child’s mother was around, and finding no one, decided instantly that he was going to rescue the child and bring her up as his own. A very daring decision indeed but he was steadfast on doing it.

It was an infant girl. Soberan brought her home.Soberan was 30 years old at that time and was not even married. Soberan was very happy after finding that girl. He decided to raise her and not marry.Soberan named that girl Jyoti.Soberan thought he should work hard day and night and did not let her feel the lack of anything. He sent her to school and did everything he could to fulfill her needs.Even if he had to remain hungry, he never let his daughter fall short of anything. 

Years passed by….., and Jyoti graduated in Computer Science in 2013. She started preparing for competitive exams.In 2014, Jyoti performed brilliantly in the examination conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission and was appointed the Assistant Income Tax Commissioner.

Soberan got wet with tears after seeing his daughter  fulfilling all her dreams.At present, Jyoti is taking good care of her father and is fulfilling all his wishes.Even though she insists on his relaxing at least now, her father still runs the vegetable vendor trade.Soberan says,” *I did not pick a girl from a garbage, instead, I got a diamond from a coal mine, which filled my life with divine light*.”

"Don't tell everyone your plans, instead show them your results"

v kathiresan

v kathiresan

Dr Kathiresan lost his father very early in life and had to support his family. Though he was always fond of studying, financial problems compelled him to drop out of school. “It was one of the most painful decisions of my life, but I accepted it as a way of life.” He trained as an electrician and joined the Indian Army in 1979. His first posting was in Bhopal, then Sikkim, followed by Hyderabad. He first met A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, in the 1980’s. Kalam was the director at the time and Kathiresan was deputed as his driver. Kathiresan caught the former Indian President’s attention when Kalam saw him reading newspapers, magazines and books. It was then that Kalam encouraged and motivated him to study further.

“I must thank the Almighty that I was given such an opportunity,” says Dr Kathiresan. “If not for Kalamayya’s inspirational words, I would have never been able to achieve this. Even after Ayya left DRDO, I continued to ponder over what he said about the importance of education.”

With the help of Dr Kalam, Kathiresan learned English, the subject in which he failed in his Class X. He reappeared for his Class 10 exams and cleared his English paper. He then appeared for the Class XII examinations and went on to obtain a B.A. (History) from Madurai Kamraj University through distance education. He later completed an M.A. in Political Science.

This school dropout, who used to work as a driver for A P J Abdul Kalam, ensured that his dream turned into a reality at the age of 47.

A native of Vadachennimalai in Tamil Nadu, Kathiresan has come a long way with sheer determination. From being a school dropout, he went on to complete a PhD in history and was appointed a lecturer at the Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Vadachennimalai last year.

"I can never forget the role played by Kalamayya (sahib). I worked as a driver with him for five-and-a-half-years and during those long drives, I used to talk to him about my aspirations and dreams."

"One day while driving, Ayya suggested that I should resume my studies. He told me that the best way to go about it was through long distance education. Ayya used to lecture several students about the importance of education. I used to listen to him speak and got inspired."

"Anything is possible or shall we say nothing is impossible"

subhreet kaur ghumman

Subhreet kaur ghumman

Subhreet Kaur Ghumman was born on 22 April 1986 is resident of jhundan village, amargarh, sangrur district in punjab. I am fond of dancing since my childhood and my Mom did her very best in motivating me and I was back on dance floor in less than a year after my accident. I am blessed to have a brother and a sister as my best friends too; I lost my Father when I was 13 years old.

I have done my BSC in Nursing and Cosmetology, now I am a make-up artist.I won’t pretend my life is easy, but through the love of my Mom, loved ones, and faith in God, I have overcome my adversity and my life is now filled with joy and purpose. I reside now in Punjab, India with my Mom and we both love seeing people’s lives changed for the better or touched in some way. 

On 21st October 2009 I met with an accident and got a fractured leg. Doctor never realized that I got AV (Arteriovenous) Malformation in my leg few days after he operated. On 5th November 2009 I was again operated for the AV Malformation but during the operation there was excess bleeding due to which I slipped into partial coma and the doctors declared me dead. 

Then another set of doctors took over, they were able to stop the bleeding but during the procedure my sensation nerve was damaged which eventually resulted in amputating my left leg above knee and after 6 months I got my prosthetic limb.

She saw Vinod Thakur dancing on television and decided to start dancing on one leg. Shubh started practicing daily. She continued her passion for dance and she lived according to her life's motto, "Never give up..... Nothing is impossible,". Her mother Smt. Charanjeet Kaur is her role model.Shubh got selected in India's Got Talent TV show for her dance performance.

Her performance received a standing ovation from the Judges. Salman Khan admired her on Twitter "Wah Yaar. Hats Off. Kamaal Hai." In 2015, she became a contestant on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 8) and was impressed by the judges. She was eliminated in week 6.She married Yash Makkar. After two months of marriage she charged her husband with sexual harassment. Her husband claimed that she was demanding a huge amount for divorce but it was not so. He claimed everything wrong about her. She lives with her mother now and left her husband.

"Never give up..... Nothing is impossible,"