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Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Jharkhand tribal girl Rashmi meets Prez Murmu after historical educational milestone
Ranchi, Tribal girl Rasmi Birhor stood quietly among the crowd in a small hamlet in Ramgarh back in 2016 when then Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu visited the hamlet. Though their interaction was brief, it ignited a dream in the girl that would change her life. Jharkhand tribal girl Rashmi meets Prez Murmu after historical educational milestone Now in 2025, Rashmi has emerged as the first matriculate and graduate from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group community in Ramgarh. When the news reached Murmu, the current President, it culminated as a 'dream-come-true' for Rashmi. Rashmi got a special invitation from Raj Bhavan during the President's two-day visit to Jharkhand, which ended on August 1. The meeting was a deeply emotional one, not only for Rashmi and her family, but also for the community and institutions that supported her along the way. "Meeting her again — this time as the President of India — felt like a dream," Rashmi said, according to a statement from the Tata Steel Foundation. She was accompanied by Deepak Kumar Srivastava, assistant manager of community development at the Tata Steel Foundation , West Bokaro, whose team had played a pivotal role in her academic journey through the Akansha Project — TSF's flagship initiative supporting first-generation learners from PVTG communities. During the meeting, Rashmi expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the President, who made her feel welcome and comfortable by conversing with her in Santhali. Rashmi joined the Akansha Project in 2017. With support for residential schooling, financial aid, and consistent mentorship, she completed her schooling from St. Robert's Girls' School, Hazaribagh, and later graduated from GM Evening College, Hazaribagh. "Her achievement is a testament to the long-term impact of the Akansha Project and reflects the power of inclusive education to uplift marginalised communities. Rashmi's interaction with the Hon'ble President today not only celebrates her personal milestones but also highlights the growing aspirations of PVTG youth," the Tata Steel Foundation said. Anurag Dixit, general manager, West Bokaro Division, Tata Steel, shared: "This is a moment of immense pride for Tata Steel and the entire PVTG community. Rashmi's meeting with the Hon'ble President is not just symbolic; it is historic. Her journey reflects the very purpose of the Akansha Project: breaking systemic barriers and enabling transformation through education." The Akansha Project, launched in FY 2013 by the Tata Steel Foundation, works to bridge educational gaps for students from PVTG communities by providing access to residential and non-residential schooling, financial assistance, and holistic academic support. Over 80 Birhor students have benefited from the initiative so far. Rashmi's family - her father Sudhanshu Birhor, mother Sava Devi, and younger brother Manish Kumar are proud of her achievements. For their village and community, Rashmi has become a beacon of hope and a living example that education can rewrite destinies. Her meeting with President Murmu - the same woman who once inspired her as governor - is not just a personal victory but a milestone for hundreds of children across tribal regions of the country who now know that dreams, however distant, are within reach. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
First PVTG grad's story draws Rashtrapati Bhavan's attention
1 2 Ramgarh: The success story of Rashmi Birhor, a member of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), has drawn the attention of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and President Murmu met the girl from Ramgarh at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi on Thursday evening during her stay here. Rashmi, daughter of Sudhanshu Birhor and Sayan Devi, is the first tribal girl from the Birhor community, a PVTG, from the Birhor Tola under the Basantpur panchayat of Ramgarh district. In TOI's story on Rashmi titled 'Inspired by Prez Murmu, PVTG girl becomes first grad in community' published on May 27, 2025, the tribal girl said she was inspired by the president who visited her hamlet in 2019 when she was the governor of the state. Speaking to TOI over the phone from Ranchi after she and her mother met President Murmu, Rashmi said that during her struggle for education, she received support from the Akanksha Project of Tata Steel, West Bokaro Division in Ramgarh district. She said, "We spoke to President Murmuji in Santali and told me that I have become a celebrity and should inspire more children, including from tribal communities, to pursue their dreams." Notably, the Birhor community faces significant socio-economic challenges, including low literacy rates, limited access to education and widespread poverty. These barriers hinder the community's younger generation's ability to break free from the cycle of deprivation. This is where the Tata Steel Foundation comes in to fill in the gaps by taking up the Akansha Project to provide comprehensive financial support, covering tuition fees, uniforms, books and other educational needs.
