Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Mumbai, Nov 7: The facebook pages of Shweta Katti, the first girl from Mumbai’s red light area to go to university abroad, give us a glimpse of the beginning of a new life at Bard University in New York. In August this year she joined the Bard College to pursue a degree in psychology, after she won a scholarship from that prestigious university to graduate in Psychology. This chirpy 18 year old is quite adept in adapting to the vast changes her life has undergone in the last two years. Her new life in USA is a far cry from the ruthless a harsh realities of life she faced having grown up in the infamous Kamathipura area of Mumbai. Shweta’s voyage as the daughter of a Devadasi from red light area of Mumbai to Bard University in US, makes an intriguing reading. What Shweta and her mother has undergone to live as normal human beings make us sit up and take notice of what life is all about.
Shweta who is originally from Belgaum in Karnataka, is the daughter of Vandana, a Devadasi who was brought up in a Pila house in Kamathipura, Mumbai’s red-light area. Her grandfather who had came to Mumbai in search of greener pastures decades ago, had set up a brothel in Mumbai but lost it when he became a slave to alcohol and other vices. Her grandmother wanted to send Shweta’s mother back to her native place but it did not work. Instead she became a second wife to one Suresh Hosmani and landed up in the same area from where her grandmother had sent her back. Circumstances forced her mother to live in Kamathipura after the death of her husband Hosmani, leaving her high and dry. Though a Devadasi, she was not a sex worker, but worked as a daily labourer in a factory to meet both ends meet.
Not being a sex worker and living in red light area, that too without the support of a man was not easy. Her mother fell in love with Ravindra Katti who accepted both the mother and the daughter and that is how Shweta got her surname Katti. But growing up in red light area was not easy for a young girl like Shweta. Apart from being a witness to the lives of sex workers who were hounded by police following raids she had to face the most heinous situation of escaping from the lecherous eyes of men who mistook her to be a hooker. She had to be indoors by 8 pm to escape from such appalling situations.
Monster at Home
But then trouble started brewing from home with her adopted father sexually abusing her and Shweta was in a big quandary not knowing how to deal with the situation. Here she took her mother into confidence and somehow managed to keep away from the prying eyes of her father. Apart from appalling living conditions and sexual abuse Shweta had to face harassment from her classmates who found every opportunity to pass snide remarks and belittle her. Her dark complexion was often the favourite subject for her classmates to abuse and insult her calling her with names like “kaali”, “cowdung” or “kala bamboo”. These remarks had wounded her psyche leaving an indelible mark in her personality. She became withdrawn, was scared to face the society and even suffered from low self esteem.
Even in such an awful situation her mother wanted her daughter her to pursue her studies and insisted she join “Apne Aap”, a NGO, which works for the betterment of children of sex workers. It was the best thing that could happen to Shweta and her mother because it changed the destiny of their lives completely. Apne Aap helped her to be in touch with Robin Chaurasiya, founder of Kranti, a NGO and she had a profound influence on Shweta completely altering the direction of her life. Her association with Robin gave her the much needed self confidence and Shweta slowly began to emerge out from her cosseted life. With Robin Chaurasia on her side Katti came out of her shell and through their support she took to reading as a passion. Having gained enough knowledge which boosted her self confidence, she toured different parts of India as the face of “Kranti” creating awareness among girls, their rights and about sex education.
Many such talks and conferences later she was noticed by people who really matter. Her essay on the Delhi rape case which she had prepared as part of the application process in foreign universities, resulted in her featuring among the New Week’s list of 25 among under-25 women to be watched. An alumnus of Bard University, who was stunned having learnt her background, encouraged her to apply for Bard scholarship and with that Shweta has created history. Though the college has given her $50,000 scholarship she had to raise another Rs. 9 lakhs through fund-raiser programmes and online donations by individuals.
Maturity beyond age
For 18 years old Shweta looks quite matured and grown up girl speaking eloquently about her goals, dreams and what it means to be where she is today. May be her upbringing in the infamous red light area of Mumbai and the exposure she received in her childhood might have contributed to her maturity beyond her age. After her graduation she plans to come back to India and start a therapy centre for sex workers and their offspring. At the same time she wants to enjoy the new chapter of her life and give a comfortable life to her mother who has been her pillar of strength.
Shweta has clearly demonstrated that given proper guidance, facilitates and opportunities there is certainly a way out of the difficult situation through education even to the poorest of the poor and those from the deprived section of the society. Her extraordinary strength to come of the morass of her life, to withstand the snide remarks of school/college mates, neighbors and of her own step father, calls for tremendous will power and grit. Her struggle to lead a normal life like any of us should serve as an inspiration to today’s youth. It is a great irony that for Shweta red light means the signal to go and keep going higher and reach greater heights of glory.
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