Father Dilip: Never say die

Feb. 29: The Prime Minister has sanctioned Rs 1 lakh for a girl’s education, touched by The Telegraph’s report on her visually challenged father toiling as a labourer to ensure that she went to school.

The money has been put in a fixed deposit and Dilip Ghosh, 45, of Dhubulia in Nadia, 120km from Calcutta, can draw the monthly interest for Shampa’s education.

He will get about Rs 700 to 800 a month, a district official said. The principal of Rs 1 lakh will be given to Shampa when she turns 18.

The Class V student of Anandanagar High School was ecstatic at the news, but couldn’t name the Prime Minister. “I don’t know who the Prime Minister is but I want to study,” she said.

After Dilip was forced to pull Sharma out of school in January, Dilip saw his daughter dump her schoolbag in a pond. He then begged for a job under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with the panchayat.

He was overjoyed today. “Now I have no worries. The Prime Minister is taking care of my daughter,” said Dilip.