Gadchiroli: Kiran Kurmawar, a 27-years-old young woman from the Koshti community in the remote village of Reguntha in Sironcha tehsil of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, has become a symbol of hope for countless young people, especially women. Despite coming from a family where education was not the top priority, Kiran was determined to pursue higher studies and support her family. Now, she has secured admission to a prestigious UK university for a one-year full-time International Marketing Management MSc course starting in September, provided she can arrange the necessary fees and expenses.
Kiran's journey is truly inspiring, particularly for those from rural areas and those struggling with the English language, but it has not been without obstacles. In order to achieve her goals, she took up the male-dominated profession of "vadap driver", transporting passengers from her village to the taluka in Beed so she could attend classes at the Eklavya workshop, which works towards improving access to quality higher education among students from marginalised communities.
Initially met with scepticism, when travellers would refuse to sit in her taxi thinking they were not safe with a woman behind the steering wheel, Kiran proved her mettle, earning the trust of her passengers and becoming a respected figure in the tehsil.
‘Ready To Mortgage House To Arrange Rs 28 Lakh Tuition Fee’
Undeterred by the challenges of juggling work and studies, Kiran set her sights on studying abroad.
Asked how she prepared for this, Kiran told ABP Live that she met Vishal Thackeray, a student who is studying abroad, at the Eklavya workshop, who guided her on the admission process. Vishal is a PhD student at Austin University in Texas, US.
In September 2022, she wrote pre-entrance exams for several universities before being granted a seat at the University of Leeds in England for an MSc in International Marketing Management.
According to Vishal, Kiran is the first woman taxi driver in Gadchiroli district. When they first spoke, she didn't even know about IELTS, the International English Language Testing System to test non-native English speakers seeking to work or study in a country where English is the native language. “I guided Kiran as much as I could but she got her admission on her own merit,” he told ABP Live.
The admission offer letter from the University of Leeds, seen by ABP Live, mentions that the tuition fee for 2023-24 will be £27,500 (a little less than Rs 28 lakh), and Kiran and her family are currently exploring options for scholarships or financial aid. Kiran remains determined to pursue her dreams and continue her education, and her father Ramesh Kurmawar is prepared to even mortgage their house to help fund her studies.
“I was a taxi driver. After my accident, Kiran started driving, and drove our family. My financial situation is not good. I don't even have any land but we are ready to mortgage our house too to arrange money for Kiran's education. She must pursue her education,” said Kiran's father Ramesh Kurmawar.
“Kiran's story and struggle is very inspiring for me. She has got admission but is yet to arrange the money for the education there. Hope the Maharashtra government will help her out,” Vishal added.
ABP Live has learnt from sources in the Maharashtra government that monetary assistance is on her way.
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