Parmeshwar earned Rs 3,000 per month washing cars with which he paid for his uniform and books
New Delhi:
Nine people crammed into 2 rooms in a tight Delhi slum trying to make ends meet was the reality of Parmeshvara’s life. Still, the 17-year-old overcame great odds and scored an impressive 91.7% on his Class 12 CBSE exams. His victory is a story of courage in the face of adversity.
Hunger, almost a regular in his Tigri slum, had emptied the teenager. From grade 10. He earned 3,000 rupees a month, with which he paid for his uniform and books.
Even in Delhi’s harsh winters, Parmeshwar woke up at 4 a.m. and walked for half an hour to his workplace. His hard work then continued for 2.5 hours washing around 10 to 15 cars. He did this six days a week.
“Waking up in the cold and working was not easy. I remember how my hands would freeze every 5 minutes when I touched the cold water. My fingers were going numb, ”Parmeshwar says.
“People scolded me too and for a few hundred dollars we had to endure all the humiliation,” said the discouraged teenager.
And yet he continued. The teenager says he needed the job to support his studies. Her 62-year-old father has a sick heart and her brothers have unstable jobs with families to care for.
“I can’t charge them,” Parmeshwar adds.
Its obstacles did not end there. In March, her father underwent surgery. Parmeshwar was in the hospital with his father from where he prepared for his Hindi exam.
During this difficult time, Asha Society, an NGO, assured all the help it could give to Parmeshwar. They helped with sample papers and also helped him apply online for a specialist English course at the University of Delhi.
The brilliant student says he wants to become a teacher in the future.
“I want to gain so much knowledge that I can help others too. There are many who do not have the resources to study or take courses… ”he said.
His family say they have high hopes of him and support him on his journey.
