Slice of Life: ‘Education opens doors, want kids to study hard’

Being a vendor is not easy work. You have to do a lot of different things for long hours and you earn just enough to provide for your family. People say that vendors somehow have a lower status than others because we do menial work. But if they spend a week in my shoes, they will understand the difficulties we go through daily.

With my salary, I have to take care of my mother, wife, and three children. I studied only up to Class 10. But, I want my children to get a better education. My youngest is in Class 6, and she really enjoys studying.

Education is something that opens up the world for people. You can speak a different language, you can travel to a different city, and you can take up whatever job you want, if you are educated. It has that kind of power.

I tell my kids that they must study hard because then they can choose their future and a life where they can live better than me. With my salary, I can only give them a certain level of education. But if they make the most of it, I’m sure they will be able to do better than their father.