Two Days, Two Stories

On Monday, we had a meeting at VIDYA School in Gurgaon. Vish, a ShikshaDaan trustee who was also coming for the meeting had to reach VIDYA directly as there was a massive traffic jam on the way. So, I booked an Uber.

The Uber driver Santosh was pleasant, we chatted about traffic and where he was from etc. When I noticed that he kept checking the map, I said that I will tell him the way. Google maps always sends you through the highway while the school was just 4 kms away from home. Also the traffic jam was on the highway and I didnt want to get stuck in that.

As soon as we turned into the lane where the school is, he asked me if I was going to VIDYA school. I said yes. His face lit up and he said, that’s where I studied. I then told him about ShikshaDaan and that we provide scholarships to some of the VIDYA school students pursuing 11th, 12th and Undergrad programs. He said that he had received the ShikshaDaan scholarship during his 11th and 12th. It was a nice feeling .. as though a circle was closed.

Ofcourse I did ask him as to why he hadn’t pursued his education and he said, circumstances at home were not conducive. Suggested to him, that he can still complete a degree through open university, but am not so sure if he will take that up.

Santosh is doing well as an Uber driver. Would a college degree be helpful? Maybe, but as things are evolving, he may just pick up other skills and still lead a good life. ShikshaDaan’s tagline is “Funding Education For Employment” and Santosh is gainfully employed, so we can rest easy.

Oct 13, 2026 – Holy Family Nursing College

Yesterday we visited the Holy Family Nursing College to conduct interviews for the intake this year. Each young woman that we met came with deeply moving life stories …. somebody’s father was dealing with cancer, some of them had lost their father/mother during covid, and all of them were dealing with financial difficulties at home. Yet every one of them came with a smile and a determination to help their families by becoming a nurse.

The last interview of the day made me very emotional.

This young lady walked in with a confident smile. As I checked her marksheets, I asked her about her family. When she said that she lost her mother when she was 3 years old and her father abandoned her right after that, I stopped looking at her papers. She was brought up by her aunt and her grandmother. She had completed her 12th grade in 2018 and started working to help out her aunt with the finances. Despite all the challenges she managed to save some money and entered the nursing course this year because she would be ineligible next year, due to her age.

Getting to know about her life and the kind of challenges she has faced at such a young age … I was in tears and I know it’s probably Krishnan in tears because he would have certainly been very moved. I told her that I would like to attend her graduation because to smile after all that she has been through takes a rare kind of courage.

Two days, two stories and two reasons to continue working through ShikshaDaan….

As I walked into VIDYA school and Holy Family Nursing College with Vish, I was remembering all the earlier visits. It feels like Krishnan has gone on a trip somewhere and will be back soon, but then reality strikes and I know, in this lifetime, this is a one way trip. I struggle to think of Krishnan in the past tense, because for me he is still here, right beside me, eating with me, watching TV with me, putting his suggestions into my head, still getting irritated when I drive in the wrong lane … basically living with me.

And so two days go by .. 263 days have gone by.