Amravati (Maharashtra) [India] April 22 (ANI): Mala Papalkar, a visually challenged woman who was rescued from a dustbin at Jalgaon railway station 25 years ago, has cleared the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination.
Mala has turned her life around and is now set to begin her career as a government officer. She has been appointed as a revenue assistant at the Nagpur Collectorate.
Mala has overcome unimaginable odds to achieve what many thought impossible. Visually impaired since birth, she was rescued and raised in a rehabilitation centre in Amravati.
With immense determination and support, Mala prepared for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission clerk exam and successfully cleared it in May last year.
Now, as a 26-year-old woman, she recently received her appointment letter and is set to join as a Revenue Assistant at the Nagpur Collectorate.
While speaking to ANI, Mala credited her success to Padma Shri awardee Shankar Baba Papalkar, who not only gave her his name but also raised her with unwavering care and affection.
She says Shankar Baba has been a source of strength not just for her, but for hundreds of orphaned and differently-abled children who have found a home and hope through him.
Last January, Shankar Baba was awarded the Padma Shri in the field of social work. The 81-year-old social worker has devoted his life to the welfare and rehabilitation of Divyang, orphaned and destitute children. He runs an ashram devoted to destitute children in Wazzar, in the Amravati district.
Over 123 orphans and mentally challenged children are living in his Ashram. The Padma Awards, the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
The Awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activity, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil service. (ANI)