Rising Star.....

Rising star.....
When I set out in the morning for a field visit to Nashik, little did i think that I would be bumping into a star.
The proceedings of the morning were typical with reviews of work done, the shortcomings followed by discussions for a plan to set things rolling.
Though a bit concerned about the  achievment of targets from the beginning of the year, my mind was much at peace after meeting, Dr.Naresh Gite, the dynamic CEO, Zilla Parishad of Nashik who assured me that he would pay personal attention to speed up the processes under the livelihoods mission.
We had to proceed to a village thereafter to meet the women there and also interact with our team of Wardhinis, who had come  from Wardha to form self- help groups in Nashik. Wardhinis are a team of 5 women from SHGs who have been trained to become dedicated community resource persons helping in formation of self help groups. They are the senior community resource persons who stay in a village for 15 days, explain in detail the benefits of creating and joining SHGs and facilitate formation of SHGs. The enterprising nature of these women always excites me. Their dedication to the cause of social inclusion is amazing. However  lunch was waiting for us so we decided to break for lunch on
a hot, sunny  afternoon. The restaurant was a funky place with tasteful decor.
Nashik has a natural advantage of attracting Mumbaikars due to it's proximity to Mumbai. Added to it are the attractions of bountiful nature with it's picturesque hills and valleys buzzing with resorts. Lunch had been organised at a beautiful place called the Grape County, literally in the lap of nature on Trimbakeshwar road in village Anjaneri. I was overwhelmed by the vast expanse of the place lined with greenery. The restaurant had a wooden old world charm. The breeze gushing out of the hills on to our faces made me beam with joy.
In the midst of all this natural beauty was a smiling face which brought water for us, set our plates and helped us with the menu.
Petite but confident and smiling, it was difficult for me resist a conversation with her.
I asked her name. Like her smiling self it suited her as she had been named Priya. Quite naturally my next question was about where she came from. I was quite alarmed to hear that she belonged to Permeli village of Aheri Taluka in Gadhchiroli district. Instinctively, my colleague Mr.Somwanshi was curious to know whether she was the beneficiary of DDUGKY, one of the schemes of the department of Rural Development which skills rural youth in various vocations.
She replied in the negative and went on to say that she is a tribal student who had availed education in the Ashram school of the Tribal Department. On completion of her 12th standard from the Ashram school she was selected to do a three month vocational course in food and beverage services  through the Tribal Department at Pace, Aurangabad in 2015. Though it was really far from her village she took the bold decision to join the course. As soon as she completed her course of three months she got a job at the Bella Vista Hotel in Mahabaleshwar with a salary of Rs.6000.
She worked there for two years after which  she was shortlisted and brought to the Eco farms, Grape county to work there. Her salary had not been finalised and depended on her performance. However that did not make her anxious. She was probably sure of impressing everyone with her work. Neither was she worried about being in a new place with so much uncertainty. Her eyes shone bright as a star, full of confidence.
She had left behind the safety and comfort of her cosy home and yet was brimming with confidence. Her family comprising of her mother, father, two sisters who were graduating depended on farming. She had completed the vocational course and taken up this job to support her family. She herself desired to complete her graduation in Humanities and has already taken admission in an open university.
Like a star twinkling in the skies she shone brightly, full of confidence, waiting to take on the world. She served us with so much of affection and exuberated so much joy that i could not resist taking a photo with her. As we smiled and posed happily, my heart was sure that she was a rising star, nay the the north star which knows the direction in which it is moving in the orbit, sure of reaching it's destination. What ultimately matters is the approach and attitude of the individual. One's place of origin didn't matter. What really mattered was one's approach to life. Priya had traversed a long way from the deep dark woods of Gadhchiroli to the rugged mountains of the Sahyadri. Her desire to learn and the will power to achieve were her driving force. As we left after lunch, I had a blessing for her in my heart and a smile on my face. This little girl is a rising star....