After a controversy over caste by the alleged suicide of a Dalit Ph.D. scholar of Hyderabad Central University here is another story that makes Indians feel red-faced. This is a story of an aspiring engineer who studies in IIT_BHU. Mahesh Balmiki who is a second-year student of Mining thought deeply about some measures to pay Rs. 2.7 lakh loan taken for his studies.
“There was a lot of pressure. Due to my prolonged illness, I had to incur expenses for my treatment and couldn’t give back the loan I took for my studies,” he told. Due to lack of another option, Mahesh started searching for a buyer for one of his kidneys. He later told his friends that people ask a donor’s caste while buying kidneys from the thriving black market for kidneys.
“I visited five hospitals in Varanasi and Alwar. The doctors there informed me that no one would take my kidney as I am a dalit,” Mahesh added. Left with no option, the 19-year-old, who some teachers describe as “very bright”, had left his studies and has taken up a sweeper’s job back at his village in Alwar, Rajasthan. He earns only Rs 4,000 per month.
Knowing the situation, few of his friends approached activist Sandeep Pandey, who took to Mahesh’s cause immediately and reached out to BHU alumni for funds to pay off his loan. He succeeded, and just a few days ago, paid off Mahesh’s loan. But Mahesh, whose father is paralyzed and mother earn her living as a domestic help in several houses, still works as a cleaner to survive. Mahesh scored 85% in Class X and was the brightest among his two brothers.
While studying Class XII, he worked part-time as a cleaner and managed to score 70%. Worked hard and wrote the IIT entrance exam and eventually got a seat in BHU. “Sandeep sir helped me get rid of the loan through funds he collected from former IIT-BHU students. I have paid everything back. I believe there are hundreds like Rohith Vemula (the University of Hyderabad Ph.D. scholar) studying at prestigious institutions in our country. Some are forced to end their lives. A few lucky ones get people like Sandeep sir,” he said.