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| Dipanjali Sinha. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey |
Dipanjali Sinha is finally going back to school.
The 10-year-old missed three years of school because she was suffering from the Stevens-Johnson syndrome. After a struggle of 10 more months, she has finally been readmitted to Class V in her old school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kankerbagh. She will join on Saturday and attend classes in the first shift (6.45am-2.15pm).
Sources said the authorities of the central school, administered by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, decided to readmit the girl after The Telegraph published a report on her struggle on August 11.
Dipanjali, the only child of her parents, is excited to finally go back to her classes.
She said: “I am very happy and have been out buying new books. Recently, my father took to me to a shopping mall from where I bought a pink water bottle to take to school. He also got me new pencils.”
The 10-year-old stopped going to school in August 2010 (then a Class III student) when she was under high temperature. After being allegedly misdiagnosed by a paediatrician, her father Yogendra Kumar took her to Dr Utpal Kant Singh in September that year by which time she was covered in rashes. Dr Singh diagnosed her to be suffering from the Stevens-Johnson syndrome that affects the skin and usually begins with fever.
After several surgeries and countless treatments around the country, Dipanjali was declared fit enough to start school in October 2012. That is when she hit her second roadblock — the school authorities would allegedly give Yogendra and his wife excuses delaying the girl’s chances at readmission.
Asked what she would do at her Kadamkuan home, Dipanjali said: “Sometimes I would cry as I used to miss my friends. I also used to play with my dolls or with my mother. But what I used to wait for the most was returning to school, ever since the doctors declared me fit to do so.”
Her father, Yogendra Kumar, said: “She has got readmission in the school and would start classes on Saturday. I am thankful to all those who showed concern for her.”
He had complained to State Commission for Protection of Child Rights about the problems faced in Dipanjali’s readmission. Nisha Jha, the panel chairperson, said: “A copy of the complaint made by the father was sent to the school principal and the deputy commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya regional office, Patna. I had asked them about the norms for readmission and on what grounds the school was refusing it to the family. I have not got any reply yet.”
The school principal had earlier told The Telegraph that it would readmit Dipanjali if the regional office permitted. The regional office could not be contacted on Thursday. But the family is happy that Dipanjali’s school troubles are finally over. Yogendra said: “She asked me if she would be meeting her friend, Tanya. But I told her that would not be possible, as her friend has gone up to Class VI now.”