Sarita Mali, who once sold flowers on the streets of Mumbai , is now going to do Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of California located in Los Angeles, United States (USA).
28-year-old Sarita is currently pursuing her PhD in Hindi literature from the Center for Indian Languages , Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) .
She holds Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degrees from JNU and will submit her PhD in July.
On which subject will Sarita do research at the University of California?
Giving the good news in a Facebook post, Sarita wrote, ‘I have been selected in two universities of America – University of California and University of Washington, I have given preference to University of California.’
He added, ‘This university has awarded me the ‘Chancellor’s Fellowship’, one of America’s most prestigious fellowships based on merit and academic record.
At the University of California, she will do research on ‘Writings of Lower Class Women during the Bhakti Era’.
Sarita’s family used to make a living by selling flowers at traffic signals in Mumbai.
When Sarita was in class six, she along with her father started running behind vehicles to sell flowers at traffic signals in Mumbai.
After passing class 10, he started teaching tuitions to the children of the area. She wanted to fulfill her father’s desire to study.
She did her graduation by saving money and then in 2014 she went to JNU to do her masters in Hindi literature.
There are ups and downs in everyone’s life – Sarita
According to Sarita, everyone’s life has its ups and downs. He said, “Everyone has their own stories and pains. It decides what society you were born in and what you get to meet in life.”
He never blamed his circumstances and his luck. Sarita said that she always remembered her father’s teaching that education is the only weapon which can free her from this life of tyranny.
Father had reached Mumbai from Jaunpur to take care of the family
Sarita is survived by father Ramsurat Mali and mother Saroj Mali besides two brothers and a sister.
Ramsurat used to sell flower garlands in his native village Khajuran in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
But as the family grew up, it was difficult to maintain, so at the age of 18, he reached Mumbai in search of employment and started selling flowers here.
