ON PATH TO FREEDOM

Last Wednesday we celebrated our freedom, our Independence Day. But despite all pleasure and pride we take in being free as a nation, at back of the head and deep down in the heart a true patriot still has a poking question, “Are we really free?”
So, staying in that state of mind, ‘We The Women’ has brought to you journey of a girl from the city, who is fighting for freedom even in 2018. You may be curious who this girl is and what is she fighting against. Well, keep reading and find yourself. May be her story could inspire you to be a freedom fighter as well.
Freedom was not acquired overnight; it was result of numerous efforts and sacrifices; persistent movements that eventually pushed out the oppressive invader. Though we are free from colonialism now butthere is a lot to achieve even after Seventy one years of Independence. Just like century ago various movements played a major role, they can play the same role today. For what you ask?
Look around you, you will find various frailties we need independence from. One such movement is AAROH, short for Aradhna- A Ray Of Hope. AAROH is an ethical non-governmental organization, founded on 25th December, 2009 by then 17 year old Monika Mitter, for freeing underprivileged children from chains of illiteracy and give them a chance to have freedom from poverty.
If you ever pass by the address Extension 1, Near Mastermind Classes Trikuta Nagar on a Sunday Morning between 9 and 12, you would understand what we are indicating to.We all have been in school, have even visited school for kids in the family, watched them studying in classes,despite that watching these kids would create ripples in your heart and mind for it is a movement in process.
The vision behind AAROH is to provide minimum basic education to all the children in between the age of 5-17 years so that their initial years of grooming can be given a conductive conditional environment conducive to growth, independence and opportunities to make a livelihood filled with dignity and respect for these kids.
With constant perseverance and a will to bring about greater, better changes the team grew bigger with more enthusiastic volunteers joining with proactive attitude and thoughtful approaches.
The early pioneers of the organization comprised merely of few college friends, and together they started looking out for the needful, and aiding them as much as they could. The little celebrations and activities that were carried out in the beginning under the motive of compassionate action, soon transformed into a necessity that was much required.
The feeling experienced after few such endeavors, ignited a spark that asked for a constant fuelling from that moment on. Throughout the journey new volunteers joined in, who found this work distinctive as well as gratifying.
Soon the solo initiative and assistance of friends started taking concrete forms; the poetic multifariousness turned into a movement which was driven by clear goals to tackle the complex challenges of expanding the knowledge base among street kids and empowering them to realize their basic fundamental right of education.
As of now, the team comprises of 80+ dedicated members including, Mandeep Singh Chib (Secretary), Ashish Gupta( Social Media Head), Paramveer Singh (Joint Secretary), Vandita Sharma (General Secretary), DeeptiTiwari (Technical Writer)and volunteers, and is constantly growing.
By working together, in order to better the conditions of the downtrodden without keeping any foul intentions, this initiative has only grown bigger, better and stronger by each passing day.

Now about the founder of the organisation, Monika Mitter.
She was only seventeen when she started reaching out to the common underprivileged masses amid her school activities out of her own personal interest.
Monika shares, “It was a small incident which shifted my life to the direction of social cause. I was in class twelfth, my mother andI were on our way to my school, and I saw few kids on the streets. I was carrying a bag and so were they; while mine contained my dreams and future, theirs contained their living for the day.”
Monika got so moved by this instance that she wanted to help those rag pickers and others like them. When she expressed the same to her mother, instead of reminding her that she was in class twelfth and it was crucial for her studies and future, Monika’s mother encouraged and motivated her not to wait for the right time and start doing her bits whenever she is ready mentally.
Though for over a year after I approached her, Monika has been apprehensive to share about herself and being a social activist making it about herself instead of Aradhana, lucky for us she finally agreed to share more than what is on the surface in public arena.
The purpose is for youngsters to realize that they have immense opportunities, energy and potential and understand that they should not restrict their minds for what’s easily accessible, be it anything, even a job or settling first for doing any good work.
It is after she opened up to us we realized that she is a lot more than this compassion for need and passion to help and we are tickled to share it with you all.
Monika is a girl next door. Some of you by now must have assumed that Monika must have a lot to give away. But this girl was born in middle Class family. Born in early nineties to Kamla Thakur and Jagdish Mitter, a Retd. Bank Employee, Monika is second child of the two, younger to Meenakshi Thakur, Assistant Professor, who is also vice-chairperson of Aaroh.
Monika has finished her schooling from Kendriya Vidhayala No -1 Gandhi Nagar. If you are wondering considering her lifestyle what sort of student she must be, she was class topper for most of her school life and was even the School captain. After passing out from school in 2010 she went forward to pursue Engineering in Electrical branch from MIET College and even there she was the department topper.
It is to point out here that it was in her college days that her desire to help the underprivileged evolved as a vision; she engaged her friends in college as well as students from various Engineering colleges with her and they supported and participated with open heart in various social activities, according to Monika.
Monika has not just been engrossed in studies only; she participated in poetry recitation competitions and various co-curricular activities like slogan writing, seminars, workshops, camps, Extempore etc. She passed out of College in 2014. She had cleared the AFCAT and CDS exam during her college days and got recommended in Indian Air force in Administration branch and so she joined the IAF academy for training.
Monika shares, “Being in defense was a dream but due to illness of my mother I voluntarily withdrew from service in 2015. Leaving that was not easy but I never got emotionally or mentally weak because the love and support of my family as well as my kids and team members.”
After things settled a bit Monika joined an Engineering college in Pathankot as lecturer in Electrical department.Right now she is working as physics teacher and working on her M.tech thesis simultaneously. Monika is pursuing M. Tech in Power system.
Monika is an adventure soul and has tried many adventure sports like mountaineering, skiing, paragliding, biking etc. She started riding in 2013 and according to her she has covered almost all the parts of J&K and Himachal.
Though Monika can ride bikes but to make a unique record (a very first kind from Jammu city) earlier this year she rode Jammu-Kishtwar-Killar-Sach pass-Udaiypur-Keylong-Sarchu-Leh-kargil-Sonamarg-Srinagar-Jammu on her 125cc Scooty.
After getting her vehicle serviced, tyres replaced by tubeless ones, learning all the basic repairing techniques and prepping and carrying toolkit as well as extra Petrol as there’s no petrol pump on some of these routes, she set on the perilous route.
Monika expresses, “It was a life-time experience and immensely thrilling to cover the world's deadliest roads as well as many mountain passes including world' highest motor-able pass on my 125 cc Scooty."
She further adds, “I prepared myself so hard in terms of mechanical and mental breakdowns for this journey that now for me it's like - Go anywhere & on anything.”
Monika started trekking in 2015 and she has done number of treks in Himachal covering Dharamshala, Mandi and Manali. She has acquired "A" certificates in Basic Mountaineering course from ABIVMAS Manali in 2017 as well as Basic Skiing course from JIMS, Kashmir in 2018.
Monika expresses, “I have devoted myself for social causes for last 8 years but I have always tried to segregate and balance my professionaland personal.On being asked how she manages it all, Monika only suggests to strengthen willpower and manage time properly.
Monika expresses, “You can manage your personal and professional life with your social Enthusiasm or activism if you put your heart and mind to it.” And we cannot agree with her more.
On being asked what’s next, Monika responds, “Well, at 17 I started this social group, at 21 got the first central government job, at 23 gifted a car to my dad with my own salary, till 24 I had checked off my list many solo trips and treks and at 25 accomplished my biggest dream to ride the toughest part of Himalayas.”
She further adds, “The point is Life is unpredictable and so I can't tell you what's next but definitely I will continue my experiments with life and keep on serving society as much as I can.”
Talking about the women of the state Monika says, “I would not go for far in terms of time and altitude to put an examples. I would like to give my point of view mentioning the woman who inspired me a lot. My Mother was brought up in a Rajput family where no one was sufficiently educated, she was the first woman from her village who attained Master's degree in Economics and Political Science in 1977 and worked in Kashmir for 12 years.”
She further adds on, “Then comes my second inspiration-the most physically tough community women -The Gujjar tribe women from J&K. They work harder than the men folks equally stout and brave.”
In Monika’s words, "although each woman in this world is highly empowered, strong, stable and exemplary but it would influence me deeply when during my ride in rough terrain or when I was climbing the ice wall, on any trip or rides and someone would compliment my courage and associate me with the state. So to be precise Women of my state are unstoppable and daring. Each girl has the potential to make records in whatever field they are.
For women out there Monika words are, “You're fearless, strong and powerful; just realize, explore and never stop.”
Heres’s a short poem Monika has dedicated to women:
“Ki jazba bahut hai azmalo humey,
Koun ho tum bata do inhe,
Hata ke mushkiley aur baadhaye hazar,
Badhti raho tum,
Nirantar, Nidar, Nisandeh us Paar”

If you decide to visit children at Aaroh, you should ask about the organization and visit them at a prior notice. You can even watch work of Aradhana-A ray of hope in a feature video by The News Now on our page. You can write to them at [email protected] and their Facebook page @AradhanaARayOfHope