20-year old Aneesha is taking a breather in the scorching heat having just finished her 5 km long run. She has just cleared her SSC examinations for joining the Delhi police force and preparing for the physical test. It is morning in MahwaKhurd, a remote district in Rajasthan and Aneesha has a really long day ahead of her, she has her B.Ed classes to attend. She already dreams of being deputed to handle law and order situations and her confident. Her poise and confidence inspires one to believe that her dreams will come true.

It is difficult to imagine though, that the timid ,shy and somewhat dispirited girl who entered the MahwaKhurd Learning Center 14 years back is today’s Aneesha.

Her father was an agricultural labourer and mother, a housewife with 3 more siblings at home. She was the eldest.

Her teacher Pinky still remembers the first day of Aneesha in the LC when she entered with a slate clung to her chest rolling the corner of her almost torned frock with her tiny fingers escorted by her mother . Pinky says- ‘she was an underdog, always immersed in herself. It was a frustrating experience for me to make her speak even a few words in the beginning. But I would always see her most excited when any activity, especially the physical activity, is conducted in the learning sessions. She would stand up quietly and within minutes will change into another person- moving rapidly . Also, another striking fact about her was her sense of duty . She was responsible for filling the water pot for the girls’ before they arrived. I never had to remind her even once while she was a student at the LC. Every day before all of us reached we would find Aneesha quietly sitting and waiting for all of us with a water pot neatly filled in and rolled with a wet cloth . She never spoke much but whenever she did there was a qualityfirmness in her voice which was intriguing.

5 years passed and passing grade V from LC she left to study further in the village Government school and then in the nearby town to complete her 12th grade. Responding to a call for joining the Delhi Police Force, Aneesha successfully cleared her written entrance exams, only the physical test remains to be passed.

Fondly remembering her days in LC Aneesha states – ‘had it not been the LC I probably would have remained illiterate and would never be what I am today . I would have been perhaps married off and by now would be the mother of at least 5 children , and she laughs. There was no way I could have gathered the courage to enter school with my humble background. This one chance altered my life forever and I can’t be more grateful!’

Stating this she excuses herself and resumed practicing her sprints – her sprints towards her dreams………………….