ALSphere Foundation
Mayur is ecstatic as he decks up in the crisp, elegant orange silk kurta that has been adorning his closet, waiting for the ‘new dawn’. The rustle of new silk on his fatigued body seems to instill a new vigor. Smiling he rushes to the mandir, applies the kumkum on his forehead as a blessing before stepping out. Today is the inauguration of the very first girls wing in the only high school of the region. Though a tedious journey, for Mayur it is a new dawn. As an energetic and curious kid, he struggled seeking answers to a multitude of questions.
“Why can’t Rupa Didi go to school with me?” He would rant every morning as he was dressed for school. Mayur could never forget the eagerness in his elder sister’s eyes. She would often run her hands on the pages of his books enjoying the pictures, making up myriad stories. Years went by till one day fate snatched Rupa didi away in an accidental kitchen fire.
It was her wounds that resonated in his soul.
“ I love your books Mayur. I wish I could read them.” The disappointment on her face was deeply etched in his conscience. This is what strengthened his resolve to begin education for girls in the same school as the boys.
The reverie is broken as his name is called to be in stage for the inaugural address.
“My dear listeners. Today is a new dawn. The dawn of hope and opportunity for all the capable girls of this region. Step onto the platform of learning and bring a change.”
His eyes are moist as he announces the Rupa Annual Scholarship for academic excellence.
It is indeed a new dawn!
