When poverty breaks pluck

 The story of Deepa Kumari is not just an example of amazing courage but of a 12-year-old girl's spontaneous urge to help when disaster struck. It is also the story of an indifferent system which has managed to shatter the brittle dreams of a small child.

The incident took place almost six years ago. The sun had just reached its prime on April 30, 2006 and Deepa was washing the family's clothes in the lake near Alwar Palace. Suddenly she heard cries of help from two children who had unwittingly been dragged down towards the deep end of the waters. A strong swimmer, Deepa jumped into the lake, heaved against the current and began helping them back to safety, when they saw a crocodile approaching. “For a moment, I went blank. But then I sent up a quick prayer, and we swam quickly to safety,” reminiscences Deepa. The trio reached the bank with meters to spare from the crocodile's gaping jaw.

The next day, Deepa was the toast of Mount Abu. She received the bravery award on Republic Day next year and was later felicitated by half a dozen organisations. But once the euphoria subsided, she was quickly forgotten.

Today, the 17 year-old fearless girl is living in penury. Her father Bhagwan Ram retired as fourth class employee in the municipal corporation and the family survives on his meager pension. Deepa hopes to become a police officer but fears that opportunities may not be as forthcoming as she had once hoped. Her other dream was to pursue her passion for swimming but that too has remained elusive for lack of related support. Deepa's 23-year-old unemployed brother says that the family has asked everybody for help. “We have seen relatives, society and government. If people really wanted to reward Deepa they should have raised my father’s pension or offered a job to me so that we could ensure her a better future,” he says with moist eyes. Without provision for wings, Deepa's dreams remain just that.