PUNE: City Corporation Limited on Friday presented an electric cycle to standard IX student
Nikita Krishna More who walks 14km daily from home to school in Palchil village in Raigad district and back. Palchil is about 150 km from Pune.
The corporation took cognisance of TOI’s report ‘Six days a week, girl set on
education
treks 14km through dense forest’, published on January 21.
An elated Nikita, who is an excellent runner in the tehsil level inter school competition and wants to become the first doctor of her village in Morewadi, told TOI on Friday, “This is a big help. It will always remind me to put in my best to study hard and pursue my dream. I never thought that people would help me.”
Nikita came to Pune to receive her gift. She was accompanied by her mother Rajshree, elder brother Nivesh and school headmistress Vinita Pawar.
Rajshree said they cultivate paddy but wild pigs and monkeys destroy it. “So we work as farm labourers in the nearby villages for a livelihood. Educating three children is tough, but we never gave up. We know that education can bring a change in our lives,” she added.
Her elder daughter is in standard XII and son is in standard XI. “ We hope all three will complete their education and make their lives better than ours. People have helped my daughter because she wants to study,” she added.
The Nibe Motors cycle charges in two hours and runs for 100km at 25kmph. It has a user-friendly carrier charger. It can also be used as a regular non-electric cycle.
Aniruddha Deshpande, managing director of City Corporation, said, “Despite several difficulties, Nikita is determined to pursue her education. This prompted me to gift her the cycle. I hope this
electric bicycle
will motivate her to accomplish her dream.”
Nikita was also gifted another cycle by Vidwat Prakash Chitre, senior manager with Cummins India Limited in Kothrud. “I am impressed with her love for education. My gift is to support and motivate her to continue her studies,” Chitre said.