Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

The services provided by Deepalaya are like a flowing river from which tributaries are formed, each creating an identity for itself. Dhananjay, student from Deepalaya School, Sanjay colony personifies one such tributary.

‘I quit being afraid’, says 19 year old Dhananjay who leaves no stone unturned in deriving maximum benefits from the educational opportunities given to him.. Dhananjay’s father is working in a small clinic as a compounder and his mother is a homemaker. He is the eldest of four siblings. Migrants from Bihar, Sardar Prasad, father of Dhananjay chose to settle down with his family in Delhi,the city of opportunities. Little did he know about the troubles that he would face, that come with migration.

Things changed for this family when Deepalaya reached out to them. Dhananjay took admission in Deepalaya School, Sanjay Colony at an early age. He had been a persistent achiever. Despite his humble background Dhananjay never felt that lack of abundant resources was a constraint in fulfilling his ambitions.

He cleared his X standard exams from a regular school with an aggregate of 61%. Dhananjay is at present pursuing his final semester of Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from G.B. Pant Polytechnic. Most students are under pressure to secure good placements as soon as they finish their course in professional colleges. Dhananjay kept his calm and with his sheer hardwork and determination he managed to secure a well paying job in a leading MNC in Gurgaon. He is looking forward to joining the company in July on a starting salary of Rs.18, 500 per month. Dhananjay has started his journey on the road to success and the destination, he says, his dreams will decide. He realizes the long term benefits he would have had, had his parents been educated. But he believes that such disadvantages are overcome if one works hard to gain knowledge.

He has been sponsored by Mr. Jyoti Sagar, an esteemed sponsor of Deepalaya. Soft spoken Dhananjay is meticulous in his studies and is clear about what he wants from life. “I am very confident about myself. All material things are very easy to own, so I do not spend time in thinking about them. I wish to enhance my qualifications and skills”, says Dhananjay. He gratefully acknowledges the transformation brought into his life by Deepalaya which he feels consistently stood by him.

Dhananjay’s father, Sardar Prasad is proud of his son. Tears of joy roll down his cheeks when he shares the accomplishments of his son. He continues, “My other children are also studying at Deepalaya School and I am extremely happy to have them in safe hands. Deepalaya has stood by us in our ups and downs not only financially but morally and emotionally as well. I wish Deepalaya grows and keeps helping those in need”. While Dhananjay is strongly attached to his family, he spends time in serving the elder members of his family and is undeterred by any adverse circumstances that may come in his life.

Deepalaya has taught him the joy of seeking knowledge, which he does by reading on his own. His thirst for knowledge has not reduced and he dreams to rise higher in life by the dint of his efforts and sheer will power. Deepalaya celebrates such valiant ‘soldiers’ and encourages them to march on.