The Bangalore University (BU) Monday decided to provide free education to the younger sister of Shilpashree, the 23-year-old postgraduate student who died in a road accident inside the campus last month. The victim’s family, however, said the university had promised a government job and they expected the authorities to realise it.
After a syndicate meeting, BU vice-chancellor Dr Jayakara SM told the media that the university would provide free postgraduate education to Shilpashree’s younger sister, who is currently pursuing an undergraduate course. The the university staff decided to donate one day’s salary as well as the meeting’s remuneration to Shilpashree’s family though it was not compulsory, he added.
Earlier, students had staged protests demanding Rs 1.5 crore compensation to Shilpashree’s family. Dr Jayakara said there was no provision to release such a huge amount of money but the university would seek special permission from the higher education department.
Shilpa Shree was run over by a Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus at the Jnana Bharati campus on October 10. The postgraduate student of mathematics was trying to board a BMTC bus when the accident occurred. She was admitted to Fortis Hospital at Bannerghatta road, where she died on October 23. One of the three daughters of the Ravi-Padma couple from Bangarpet in Karnataka’s Kolar district, she stayed at the university hostel.
Shilpashree aspired to join banking or government jobs after her studies, according to her family. Her labourer father Ravi says he earns Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 every month. “I studied only till the 10th and there was no one to help me with my education. I wanted all my three daughters to study well. Even to this day, I was not able to afford their education but my wife’s sisters are helping me out. I have about Rs 5-6 lakh loans to repay,” he said.
Shilpashree’s elder sister Nivedita is a postgraduate from Bangalore University and had been working with an e-commerce major as a Tron associate for the last three months. After Shilpashree was met with the accident, Nivedita had to quit the job as her office did not allow her to take many leaves. “My salary was helping to run the family but now again it is a setback,” she said.
“Despite financial constraints, my family provided education to all three sisters. We also understood the problems of the family and wanted to live a better life. My youngest sister Nandita is presently pursuing an undergraduate course in Physics in Kolar,” Nivedita said.
The university officials had promised a government job to the family and we are waiting for their response, she added.
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Bangalore University to provide free education to accident victim's … – The Indian Express
