Standout Kanyashree girls - Rushmita Orao, Shital Rai, Shila Baghdi make Bengal proud

MP | 15 August 2018 | Kolkata: Besides bringing down school dropout rate, the Kanyashree Prakalpa has helped girls from Bengal to become successful in different fields. 

Rushmita Orao, a Class X student from Jalpaiguri, is a beneficiary of the Kanyashree Prakalpa and it has helped her to continue with her studies. At the same time, it has also acted as a great support to fulfill her dream of building a career in rugby. 

The girl, hailing from a small hamlet of Mall area in Jalpaiguri, is one of the few girls to have taken part in the Youth Olympic Games - Asia Qualifiers, at Dubai in December 2017. 

Orao is a student of Gajoldoba High School. Both her father Kalu Orao and mother Rukmi Orao are tea garden workers. Despite all hurdles, they want their daughter's dreams to get fulfilled, with recognition on the international level. She has also got an opportunity to be a part of the national team and will be flying to Jakarta soon to be a part of a session on rugby. Similarly, another Kanyashree Prakalpa beneficiary Shila Baghdi from Purulia wants to become a famous football player. With the support that she is getting out of the scheme, Baghdi is aspiring to become successful in the sport, besides continuing her studies. Another beneficiary, Shital Rai, is also leaving no stones unturned to build her career in karate and she was recently awarded

a black belt. 

It may be mentioned that the scheme has also ensured a reduction in the school dropout rate. At the same time, most of the 50 lakh girls from over 16,500 educational institutions are now "role-models" as they have got engaged in different sports, martial arts and skill development and they are also actively working against social evils like child marriage and dowry system. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the programme of Kanyashree Divas on Tuesday: "There has been a reduction in school dropout rate by 11.5 percent after the scheme was implemented." 

Many girls have also utilised the one time grant of Rs 25,000 to initiate the business to become self-dependent. Pinku Singh Mahapatra of Bankura is moving ahead to become self-dependent by initiating a business of vegetable trading, utilising the one time grant. Five girls, including Orao, Baghdi, Mahapatra and Rai were awarded by the state government on Tuesday for their extraordinary performance in different fields.