About me — Annu Bharti.

“My father always says ‘ Tum toh Bete ho hamare’ & I correct him every damn time with a ‘ Nahi Papa. Main ‘BETI’ hoon. Aur aisi hi hoti hai betiyaan’”

20-year-old Annu comes from Kishanganj, Bihar. Forgettable as much as the name of the place may sound, one would take only a few minutes to discover how unforgettable a personality young Annu is.

‘I remember being born into a middle-class family, till a family feud left father both broke & emotionally broken. It was Maa who then later started a small business. Though the business barely pays off our expenses even now, we somehow managed to survive. There were times when my father sold the gold we had, to pay for my school. In return, all I could do is always try my best to perform. I always had an interest in Informatics Practices, & hence I took up a course side by side when I realized my B.com back there in Kishanganj was just about mugging things up & made no sense.

I finished the first position in that course, & got introduced to NavGurukul soon after. I have learned different languages, & am now placed with Mindtree undergoing my training in Bhubaneshwar. Training with all techies makes me realize I have to work a little on my Tech jargons, but when it comes to execution, I can be equally good or maybe better.

I was the first girl on NavGurukul campus, & we set it up together. I was given a location on google map & asked to go get things on my own for the center. This was new in my life- this freedom, trust & empowerment! My parents wouldn’t let me go alone anywhere other than college.

And this initiative-taking ability was of great help later when my mother was diagnosed with severe liver disease. We had no money for the treatment. I went around Delhi asking for help, I got an appointment for surgery in AIIMS, met high-rank officials & sought the financial waiver. My father was astonished by the way I handled the situation. The only sad part is we lost Maa due to some complications even though the procedure went seemingly normal.

I lost the old Annu, & found a much braver version of myself here. Abhishek, Rishabh & Anuradha are my role models. And now that NavGurukul has broken my fetters, I want to get back to my town, do something for the women & break all the taboos surrounding them.

If I can, everyone else too can!’