Meet The Girl Who Went From Selling Flowers At Mumbai Roads To Pursuing A PhD From The University of California!

A PhD, that too from a remarkable American university is the ultimate Indian dream for most of us. But what often gets glossed over is the insane amount of work one has to put in to attain that level. At the first glance, Sarita Mali appears as such a success story, but there’s a lot more to her journey than what meets the eye.

Rough Beginnings

Raised within a slum area in Ghatkopar, one of the suburbs of eastern Mumbai, Sarita recollects a lot of hardships faced by her family while she was young. Her father sold flower bouquets on city roads and barely made enough to make ends meet. Adding to the family’s financial distress was the societal pressure of belonging to a lower caste.

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As a young girl in her sixth grade, Sarita roamed the long city streets with her father, selling bouquets with her father.

“My childhood was filled with sufferings, be it economic, psychological or because of my gender. In our country, a dark-skinned girl from a particular section of society faces many additional challenges.”, she said in an interview with the Times of India.

After passing her 10th standard, she started taking tuition for students in the locality and was able to save enough money for college. Thus, she enrolled at the KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce and after graduation, and then went on to complete her MA in Hindi Literature from JNU. Throughout her journey, she was supported by her father who was adamant that his children were well educated.

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And now, at the age of 22, she has finally reached what she has strived for! In a viral Facebook post, she wrote, “I have always had a passion for studies. At the age of 22, I entered the world of research. I am happy that this journey will continue for another 7 years.” Kudos to her for this great achievement!

What About The Future?

When asked about her plans, she expressed interest in continuing in academia as an advocate for those belonging to underserved sections of society. If we think deeply about it, archaic ideas such as the caste system are still deep-rooted in our communities; and such an issue must never deter someone from pursuing a life of their choice. Actively speaking out against such norms is what will help in demolishing them.

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Another factor is to promote government-funded central universities that will make education easily accessible to those in the lower rungs of society; Sarita herself is one such person who has benefitted from this.

“Each time I see children on the streets, I feel overwhelmed. There must be so many out there who can study and move upward. I want to raise my voice for free education for street children. There must be policies that allow such students to study without the pressure of finances.The contribution of marginalized communities in the country building must also be recognised,” she said.

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