From India's largest Newsroom. I'm are enjoyed, and this is the
times of India podcast. If you've seen that Film Iron
Man you remember that scene by character Tony Stark is in a
cave working with what he has to make his first Iron Man suit
thankfully. But he stuck a routine didn't
have to work out of a cave but it wasn't like she had it easy
while trying to do her mtech in chemical engineering.
NG from IIT Madras while in Afghanistan, he or she is
explaining how she put together a lab at home, so that she could
do her experiments, one of the two.
I was to making that bioplastics.
There in that, I needed a microwave and also, I will link
my, a wind machine is digital Wing Machine.
I needed there and some beakers and some some test tubes, I
needed these four essential things.
Yeah, I I borrowed their microwave, I was using not the
chemical microwaves. I was using this cooking
microwaves, that we are using at home, basically my gym.
My economical condition is not that good to have them, but my
sister was married, she had that microwave at home and I borrowed
that from her. And then I went to the jewelry
Center at jewelry shops and I bought Digital low-wing machine.
That was not that much expensive.
I could afford that and I borrowed some Baker's from the
University that I was studying my visit there the professor's.
They are or very helpful. I was not going there.
My brother was allowed to go in the campus and they did give
that Beaker some beakers, and etceteras, flasks and his tips
for my brother. And then he brought Abram
brought it for me. Yeah, at home.
And I was using that. My that completing that project
that's based on speaking with manage going who covers
education for the times of India and authors the education plus
newsletter - caught up with baster to talk about her
Herculean effort to complete a rim take while sitting in a
country where girls are being prevented from pursuing even
school education. In today's episode, baster is in
conversation with Manish about how she overcame remarkable odds
to complete the course and why she would like to study more.
If she can base, the started by telling mohnish about How she's
from a background where education is valued and that
helped her pursue her dreams in education.
She also talks about how she reached a stage where she could
apply for mtech. I have been burning an education
and educated family which order very supportive to me.
My father is social science graduate.
My mother is a doctor head of the clinic and my Yammer, my
oldest sister is an idea PDC Then who is right now, stuck in
Afghanistan because of this political issues and Visa
issues. And also, my second sister has
studied law, my brother social science.
I am the fifth member of 50 child of the family and everyone
has studied something, especially engineering four of
us or Engineers chemical engineers.
And rest of our that is medical have joined medical and also law
faculties. I'm actually Actually from a
portal from Afghanistan, which is the northern part of
Afghanistan called sorrowful Province, but now we are living
in Jerusalem province. Which is far away from that
Province, like the gate exam that India has we have also an
exam called conquered exam. I got a 300 out of 360 and got
admitted in the chemical engineering department of jobs
done. In gels on Province and I
completed my btech, but at the, the knowledge I got in these two
years of, IIT Madras, I can tell you that it's not compatible
with the knowledge that I got in my btech program, this is one of
the three big reasons I want to go with the academics.
I don't want to go with the industrial jobs.
I want to go with the academics because I can feel that.
What are the what are the needs of?
Education system in Afghanistan. And now that I have seen the
high standards education in IIT Madras, I can tell that I want
to bring this standard to my country.
Hopefully, I can, I see if they let me if the new government
letters. Because here we are.
Facing lots of difficulties. Lots of difficulties.
This is smiling, is I can tell you that loss of Afghans are
smiling, but they are not actually happy.
It has been our habit to smile to this.
Ruggles, today. All of kinds of obstacles that
we are having babies turtle - then after graduation.
She had applied for admission to IIT Madras, but just when that
seemed set to go through the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
And suddenly all of Base does work seem to have gone down the
drain after that. My intake program, I wanted to
improve my language mood. I went to Kabul province which
is very my relatives are living there.
I went there to take the TOEFL test for applying for
scholarships for one year. I prepared for TOEFL test after
that, I somehow scored a medium grade.
Then after that, I applied for Scholarships in IIT Madras
through ICC are at that time. A Taliban was not here in
Afghanistan. So that was a normal government
and we were applying for scholarships every year and that
that You're all. So, I applied as normal, but
unfortunately, after I pass the interview with IIT provided team
professors, and then I ate it, then Taliban captured
Afghanistan on 15th of others. Then after that, I was not
receiving any response from ICC, our portal.
They were telling that my account has been deactivated.
So I reached the it, the global engagement.
I emailed them that I have passed the interview but still,
I'm having this these issues this eye.
I see that is not supporting us but I really want to continue my
empty list that says there were multiple reasons behind choosing
IIT Madras to pursue her master's.
Basically I selected five iits in my during my upline applying
for ICL scholarships after that, I got an acceptance for having
an interview from three iits IIT Bombay, RIT Loki.
And I D Madras. But for me, because I was a girl
who haven't traveled alone anywhere, so I my sister was
part of IIT Madras. She's a professor in jail, John
University. She has currency had gone to IIT
Madras through World Bank scholarship, from the previous
government. She was there for me to
accompany me. That was the second reason that
was a personal reason because he was there.
So I selected, I IIT Madras to continue my studies based on, go
to full scholarship from IIT Madras to pursue her master's
which made it economically viable.
But she says that she really struggled initially since she
was studying entirely online and the admission had come through a
month. After the course began, I was
struggling a lot into first semesters because of this being
backward of the things and also the everything was very new for
me. But I was I was not leave In my
hook, I was sleeping just the four or five their hours in 24
hours, and rest of that for 18 and 19 hours, I was just on the
computer. I was on the computer and
starting everything and trying to reach the levels of IIT
Madras. However, I don't feel that I
could that I could reach that, but I learned a lot, a lot of
things compared to my previous knowledge.
I want to know about your experience.
Once the Taliban regime came into Afghanistan, how are the
girls managing? How did you manage and
particular? Obviously, you're studying from
home and you're on a remote learning process, even then how
easy it is for you to continue education, the books and
everything. When I went out on came the
first two semesters and the first one semester I need Six
months. It was not like it was not very
normal. Somehow we deal with meeting us
to go to school, to go to universities and everything was
open for the girls. Also, I feel that in this is a
threat for them to be accepted by the world, but they have
right now. They have banned from eight
months, there is an official dance for the woman and that's
true that girls cannot enter to the school's library slabs.
Everything every indication is education, campus is closed for
women, and for their girls, no one is going to their anywhere,
even do their language centers, the educational and Learning
Centers or clues for the women's for the girls.
For me, it was like I was telling also this was for my
professor breast and thank you for saving me from depression in
these two years because lots of people here, specially women
girls and also will remain or all Also facing this depression
in their mind because of these political issues based explains
that, she had to rely on books online to continue her studies.
She also credits the online course with allowing her to
escape the hardships of studying in Afghanistan for me, it was
not that Marty easy easy, but for others, it was worse than
me. Because I was, I was somehow
come to continuing my education with just an online whenever I
was Using this blue and I need some books.
I was not using libraries because they were not letting us
mentor to the library's. I was using this sites using
online books. I was buying some online books
and also some links, which or three, four Outsiders.
So I was using that, but for others.
Specially my, brother's my sister who are studying here
offline, it was very bad for them right now itself.
Now after that, I'm getting comfy.
Eating my intake and if I don't get any chance of intimate easy,
the now I'm thinking in these two years, I was not thinking of
these things because I was very busy with my studies, but right
now it is the time to think that how when we continue in this
country, how will we help those people who are here?
However, I have learned a lot of things from this online.
I was not somebody who was interested in online, but in
this online teaching taught me Lots of things.
What about know? What about the internet
connectivity there in first semester, it was very bad.
I can tell you that I was watching at 13 minutes recording
and two in two hours because there was so much interest
internet problems. But after the time passes it
improves their here. Also they improve the other
internet services and right now it's it's good for me.
Like I can make an icon. Turn on my video and talk to you
and hear. It was very bad.
It was not like that. In first two semesters be
startled, manage that she was really upset about not being
able to go on campus and participate in things like lab
work. The absence of Laboratories also
meant that she wouldn't be able to choose a topic that she
wanted to pursue base the entirely credits.
Her guide at IIT Madras with encouraging her to keep going at
a time that she was thinking of taking a break.
From the course I selected. Emotion.
Fuse. Mayim ticker project because I'm
really interested in lab work, but unfortunately, I could not
go there. I could not be part of the
campus. So I buy the suggestion of
Prophecy. Basavaraj might develop Grandpa.
He's my guy. And he told he advised me to
take a simulation based project because I was not exact spacing
to the lab here. So I said he suggested me to
continue with water, absorption by food grains.
This simulation based project was something very new for me.
I was not using any software here in Afghanistan in chemical
engineering. If we were not using any
software I told from services that I want to take break, I
don't want to continue my like from far away as online like
this because I'm not good in computer skills and software
skills, but he advised me something like yet.
Like you can feel that like a father can tell you that.
Baster, you don't have any choice.
You have a special case. So you you you have to continue
with that. If you take a break and nothing
is some something specific and clear about you, so, you may be
like uncompleted four long years.
So, I would suggest you to continue with this.
Of course, there would be lots of obstacles for you to complete
this project, but you can do that.
I feel that you can do you continue.
And I accepted that right now. Now, I really time from
Professor basa who advised me like this because I was like
kind of giving up, but he took my hand and told that no you
have to continue. I will be with you and continue
with this project and complete your project.
As you heard, I explained earlier base the relied on a
home microwave borrowed because in a secondhand digital being
skill from a jewelry shop to do experiments at home.
Now, she'd like to do a PhD and ideally, she liked to visit the
campus that she's only seen virtually so far for me.
If I continue with this remote education, that would be the
thing that I can do, but I don't I don't like to do because it
has lots of struggles. I Build a lot in these two years
I want to study. I want to be benefited from
other facilities in the compass, like, the interaction with the
students, which in it, which is increasing my Basics, my basic
knowledge being interacted with the lots of professor's lab
facilities. These other things that I would
love to be benefited from in my PC program.
But if I could get the remote education of PhD for free, First
two years, which would be the courses that I can go with that.
But for my research, I would love to go and campus and I
don't like to go with the remote research that I did in my
intake. So I would really love to go in
the campus present, not as online mode based.
I want also no fee if you want to travel.
What is the situation right now? If you want any one of you
actually want to travel out of Afghanistan?
All they want to come to India. I want to go to Europe or any
other country. Is it possible.
And what is the way around, right now?
A lot of people are traveling around the world like the other
countries like Malaysia China, Russia.
U.s. they people are going. They are, we people are
traveling there, it's just accept India, which is not
giving a Visa for Afghans. But if of India it starts giving
us Visa we can travel data but the Read.
The only thing that would be that we need a man.
Accompanying us and I was asking them dumb.
Can we go for the second country?
Like I can go to the Iran? I can go to Tajikistan,
Pakistan, and these countries with the embassy, Indian
Ambassador open there. I can go there, apply for Indian
scope. Indian dessert, then I can get
me there and I can travel from there and I think they search
and got to know that it is not right impossible for Afghans to
get Visa from anyway. Any countries if I could get
Visa here. Also, I would love to continue.
I would love to like, company with my brother or my father.
They can accompany me to the India and they can come back.
But if they are, for example, India is giving us visa and
flying from the Pakistan or Iran.
So my father or my brother can accompany me to Iran and after
that I can can can travel alone and they can come back to my
country. Tell me about your friends in
the class in India, a class what all you speak about or in case
of any assistance you bought from them, have experience with
them was lovely. They were really helpful for me
whenever I was asking them, they were suddenly telling me that we
can meet and Google meet and we can discuss that and that was
the loving speech I was receiving from them, lots of
their classmates. Wherever my group members that I
was doing some group mood projects with them assignments
with them, everyone was so helpful and I would really like
that want to thank from all Indians because all Indians
especially those who were in the campus, my classmates, my
professors, every member of this journey that I was having, they
were having a hand, they were having a part to make this
biggish data. And I would love to thank them
for for gifting this base that for me, for me, for my family
and for my country and do you want to join the conversation as
well? I would love to however I don't
have that much hope because two years I was just hoping to go
there but I could not, I really love to be a part of the
convocation. Students are standing among them
taking photos and feel the pleasure of Of Happiness.
After that much struggle, that I faced in two years but hopefully
if I could be there, I would be very happy.
Be statuses that at a time of can girls are being denied
education. They need to pursue it in
whatever way they can. As a student what is my
responsibility and what would be the responsibility of all girls
who are right now facing this cruelty of being apart from
education campuses and everything is to study.
If you want to struggle study this is the only way I would
love to share one of my experience that during selection
of Of my study in the best with magazine as they were asking me
for a summer photos, having like the backgrounds of some kind of
books and it's a trust. I was accepting it like to have
a good photo in the library studying in the library I
requested in the private universities and also the
government and universities to let me enter the library.
I would take a photo and I explained that this achievement
for But they told me that the Taliban service representative,
who were not letting us through the end to enter the campus.
They told me that you are a girl.
You are not allowed to go to the campus.
And I said, one thing for them and I said that I don't feel
regret for myself because I know, if you stop my way, I will
find another way to complete my ambition, but I think regret and
sorry for you because you have the power, you have everything,
but you are not using that. If you are not letting me don't
worry, I have another way I will find him to knowledge.
I hike and find another way to complete my task or everything.
So, for the girls right now, I would tell that please study as
much as you can study study at home, study a book, take a book,
everything is which is available it around.
You don't go to the thinking, don't go to the depressions.
Don't think deeply about the thing.
That, how will we do know in the end based assay, she just hopes
to be able to give up. Is in Afghanistan, the privilege
of Education. Something that she says she has
enjoyed. She believes that that's the
only solution to improving the country.
Now, the world Taliban in Afghanistan or misused around
the world. That whenever you see, you tell
Afghanistan, they will immediately having the image of
Taliban in their minds. I want to adjust in, make the
Beauties in that image and tell that no we are not out of our.
We are not. At that address, we are only
those who the common people. I mind.
I don't want to go to the politics, the common people or
just those people who want to see my country and letting comfy
little compare it comparable with the other improved
countries. Like my invasion of my life is
just half, just to serve the education part of my country
because I feel the only solution of my country is the education.
And I really thank All Indians, all those who are having parts
for making me right now. I would love to thank them from
the bottom of my heart. And I will tell that I will
never forget this one. If I could be part of my
country's history, I will not let the history to forget the
help of Indians while the black time that we were facing.
I know, one day, this black time will pass away and the bright
time will come to my country. yeah, I don't know I'm alive at
that stage or not but I would like to take part for bringing
that brightness for my education, for the education of
my country and for the all the infrastructures Today's episode
was produced by Gerard sing soon.
I moratti and on Vijay Singh for a daily Spotlight on people
ideas and stories that matter, subscribe to us.
We are available on T. Y+ Spotify, Apple Google podcast
and all other platforms of your choice.
For any new steps email us at DIY podcast at times, internet
dot in