Deepa BiswasDeepa’s love for education is rooted in her childhood. Deepa’s father, a teacher, and her mother, a humanitarian, risked their lives to harbor Muslim refugees in a Christian college when conflict between Hindus and Muslims broke out in Kolkata in 1946. Their example instilled in Deepa the necessity to respect all human beings, regardless of caste, color, religion or gender.
Deepa’s early childhood education began under the stewardship of the woman who later became known as Mother Teresa. Through her studies, Deepa came to understand that education engenders freedom. She saw that those who are most deprived of education are the most vulnerable. But, more importantly, they are the key to significant change. Who are the most deprived in any impoverished society? Girls.
Today, Deepa’s promise to girls born into poverty is realized in the Piyali Junction Learning Center. The center is now a prototype for others to emulate. There, she can stretch out her arms to receive the hugs of laughing girls who now have hope, dreams and a real future.