As we engage a group of Bhil men and women, we notice a young kid walk up merrily, in an unkempt and untidy school uniform and stand next to the group under the shade of a huge neem tree.
"Vishal Namdev Pawar," he says coyly when asked his name. "Baada (12)," he says instead of 'Baara' (the correct pronunciation of number 12) about his age, when the group of women, including his mother, begin to giggle at his lisp.
Vishal, a class VII student, scores more than 80 per cent marks in mathematics, science, social science and Marathi, the language of instruction at the local tehsil school.
"Our dreams don't mean anything much to us ," Vishal speaks like a mature person when asked about his dreams and aims in life.
"It makes no difference if we dream or we don't," his mother Shamabai interrupts without any trace of anguish or agony in her voice. "We know they will never be fulfilled."
With just Rs 50 per day of work, once or twice a week and the annual migration to Saurashtra by her husband, it's a straight choice between hunger or education for the Pawars
"Sometimes our school teacher drives my son out of his class if his uniform is dirty," says Shamabai adding that he has only one uniform which he washes after every three days and uses it again the next day.
So, what do you do at such times, you ask Vishal. He quietly covers his face with both his hands and cries.
The irony of Vishal's existence is that though he is poor and he dares to dream.
"Vishal Namdev Pawar," he says coyly when asked his name. "Baada (12)," he says instead of 'Baara' (the correct pronunciation of number 12) about his age, when the group of women, including his mother, begin to giggle at his lisp.
Vishal, a class VII student, scores more than 80 per cent marks in mathematics, science, social science and Marathi, the language of instruction at the local tehsil school.
"Our dreams don't mean anything much to us ," Vishal speaks like a mature person when asked about his dreams and aims in life.
"It makes no difference if we dream or we don't," his mother Shamabai interrupts without any trace of anguish or agony in her voice. "We know they will never be fulfilled."
With just Rs 50 per day of work, once or twice a week and the annual migration to Saurashtra by her husband, it's a straight choice between hunger or education for the Pawars
"Sometimes our school teacher drives my son out of his class if his uniform is dirty," says Shamabai adding that he has only one uniform which he washes after every three days and uses it again the next day.
So, what do you do at such times, you ask Vishal. He quietly covers his face with both his hands and cries.
The irony of Vishal's existence is that though he is poor and he dares to dream.
