SHILLONG, FEB 16: It is not exactly a Log -Cabin to the White House story, but the essence of the inspiring journey of a twenty-two year old girl Rani Ranabhatt from utter poverty to the winner of not less than twenty-seven medals, most of it gold, for excelling in her studies will make anyone stand-up and pay the same degree of attention as one does to Abraham Lincoln’s story, who went on to become the president of USA overcoming poverty and hardship.
On Saturday, the girl accompanied by her mother, former school teachers and family members proudly stood beside Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary after receiving a memento from him. The memento was presented by Mooshahary on behalf of the Shillong Press Club who felicitated the young girl for her grit, determination and firmness of purpose to excel in hostile atmosphere that she was born into.
From his side Mooshahary also gave financial aid to Rani as a token of recognition of her hard-work. A student of Nepali Kanya Pathsala Secondary School in Garikhana, she studied there till class X and moved to St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School and passed out the Class XII in first division.
Through the state general quota, she got admission in Bachelor of Dentistry in King George Medical College in Lucknow and completed her four years graduation course topping in the college throughout and collecting twenty-seven medals, twelve of it during her final years in 2012.
The high point in her life and that of King George Medical College was when President Pranab Mukerjee presented her with a gold medal in her college campus on October 12, 2012 for excellence in her studies.
One can fathom the challenges Rani faced during her student days as she had to study in a slum that she was staying with her parent in Paltan Bazaar in Shillong which was inundate with rain waters during the monsoon.
Mooshahary said Rani is a shining example of hard-work and determination. He said, “Yours is a story that will inspire many youngsters of Meghalaya and north east to excel, it is a proud moment for the Nepali community in the state and Meghalaya in general.”
Coincidentally, Mooshahary too was born in a poverty stricken family in Assam but rose to become the Governor of Meghalaya through his hard-work, determination and the belief that he can overcome poverty to succeed in life.
Promising to comeback to Meghalaya to serve the state after she completes her master, Rani acknowledges the help and financial assistance a sitting legislator and MDC extended to her when she was studying in Shillong.
Speaking about her days in King George Medical College Rani said that the students from northeast were segregated and looked down by those from outside saying, “You all have come through government quota but we are here on merit.”
By way of an answer to their innuendos, Rani Ranabhatt collected twenty-seven medals in four years, including the medal presented by President Pranab Mukherjee, and made sure that Meghalaya in particular and north east in general has as bright students as those from other regions of the country.- By Our Reporter
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