I am Roshan Parvin, a 26-year-old from Manipur Leprosy Colony, Purulia, West Bengal

I am Roshan Parvin, a 26-year-old from Manipur Leprosy Colony, Purulia, West Bengal. Growing up in a leprosy colony where my father, a daily wager & cured leprosy patient, worked tirelessly, life was filled with challenges. Social exclusion & isolation at school made it hard for me to adjust, let alone dream big.

But fate had its plans. My English teacher noticed my struggles & handed me a grammar book, a simple gesture that ignited a love for literature. With his encouragement, I began excelling academically & decided to follow in his footsteps—becoming a teacher who inspires others to dream beyond their circumstances.

After completing my senior secondary education, I pursued B.A. (Hons) in English. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new struggles. As job opportunities dwindled, children in my colony struggled with the shift to online learning. I started tutoring them for a nominal fee, but saving enough for my B.Ed. degree seemed impossible.

That’s when I discovered the “His Holiness Dalai Lama-Sasakawa Scholarship”,supported by @Silfindia. Attending their education workshop became a turning point. I applied, excelled in the interview, and received the scholarship I needed to achieve my goals.

In 2021, I completed my B.Ed. & began teaching at a private school before securing my current position as a pre-primary teacher at Narayana School, a prestigious institution in West Bengal. Today, I am not only supporting my family but also pursuing M.A. in English from Netaji Subhas Open University. My ultimate dream is to teach senior secondary students in Kendriya Vidyalaya & continue inspiring young minds.

The poem I’ve written is my heartfelt gratitude to S-ILF for believing in me and transforming my life.