The wait is on for Kalam’s chosen ones

A letter from Srinivas helped Javed find admission in the Akhamati School, a boarding school in the family’s native Gulbarga district. But that was a Kannada-medium school and Javed couldn’t cope with the curriculum. ‘‘I know only Gujarati and a bit of Urdu. So, my elder brother brought me back to Gujarat last October,’’ says Javed. Ever since, he has been whiling away his time. His neighbour Siddique Mansoori says: ‘‘He saw his parents killed here and I think he needs better surroundings to continue his studies.’’

Javed’s brother Aslam says the boy was anyway a school dropout, working in a garage. ‘‘It was Kalam’s words that motivated him to continue studies,’’ he says. But Javed needs a lot of preparation to be able to do that.

Some help arrived a few days ago from St Xavier’s Social Service Centre. Arif Memon of the centre says: ‘‘Sometime ago, Javed and his brother came to us for help. We told them we will help if he shows interest in studies. We have offered to take care of all the expenses.’’

Javed says: ‘‘I would like to study and become like you, mujhe admission milney do. Jo bhi milega accha hoga.”