Under the moonlit sky, Shreya was sitting on her balcony and thinking about her teaching job at the school where she worked.
“I don't think I am getting the needed satisfaction in this school. Is there a way to get out of it and get the chance where I can use my talent 100%?” she thought to herself.
She was a Hindi teacher.
At that moment, her mother called her for dinner.
Sighing, Shreya left from there.
The next morning, Shreya reached the school with a gloomy face.
She was sitting in the staff room and waiting for her period. In the meantime, she opened her LinkedIn profile on her smartphone and started to search for the kind of school where she could use her talent.
Her eyes twinkled in joy as soon as her eyes caught sight of Pehchaan The Street School. It said,
“We are looking for passionate teachers. Interested ones can send their resumes to the given number.”
Shreya then clutched her Lord Krishna's locket, “Hey Kanha! Is this the one I am looking for? Maybe yes. Help me to grab this, Kanha.”
Praying, she selected her resume and clicked on the send button.
The resume was sent to the hiring team, and she waited for the results.
Two days later, she got a response from the hiring team of Pehchaan The Street School, and in a small interview, they asked her,
“Can we please know why you chose Pehchaan The Street School in particular?”
She answered,
“I feel I was not using my talent in the full way that I had worked. I want to use my talent in the right way and help the students in the right way. I don't want to be that teacher who teaches just for her job's sake. I want to be that teacher who teaches practically and helps the students to understand. I want to make my students understand that knowledge is important, not the marks. And I believe Pehchaan Street School is where I can achieve that. So I applied for it immediately.”
The interviewer smiled wholeheartedly at Shreya's answer and replied,
“You are hired.”
Hearing their answer, Shreya jumped up and down in glee.
“Yup! Finally.”
The next day, she went to the school where she once worked and handed them her resignation letter.
When the Principal asked her for the answer, she told the truth about how she was feeling in that school, and she also told them that she got the desired job at Pehchaan The Street School.
Although the faculty and the principal felt sad about her leaving, they accepted the fact and bid her adieu.
The next day, as soon as the rays of the sun peeked through her window, she woke up with a wide smile on her face and rushed to finish up her morning rituals.
Hastily, she completed her breakfast and left the house before 8:30 a.m. to reach the school before 9:00 a.m.
When the shorthand in her watch hit 9, she was standing in front of Akash Tandon, the founder of Pehchaan The Street School’s cabin.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and got an answer to come in. She entered the cabin and forwarded her file to Akash Sir.
After going through her file, he also asked her the same question that was asked by the interviewer.
She gave the same answer again, and Akash Sir got inspired by her answer. He then gave her a schedule to follow.
Taking it and thanking him, she went out of the cabin.
Then she was assigned to the class she was assigned.
A week passed, and Shreya was quite happy with her new job at Pehchaan The Street School.
One Sunday, as it was a holiday, she was sitting in the hall of her home and eating snacks.
At that moment, a little girl from her home servant came and saw a book on the table.
She ran to it and started to inspect the book, turning its pages.
The servant, Maya, who saw it, rushed to her daughter and started to taunt her.
Shreya didn't like it. She went to them and asked Maya, “What happened? Why are you taunting her like this?”
Maya then gulped and answered, “Then what should I do, Madam? She always does things I don't want her to.”
“It's alright. She is just a kid. She didn't do anything. She just looked at the books. What's wrong with that?” Shreya replied, caressing the girl’s hair.
“That is the problem. First, she will see all these books and the things in them, then cry to join the school. And you already know our financial status. We can't afford to join her in all those schools, Madam,” Maya said sadly.
Shreya then smiled at the girl and said, “Wait for two days. I will help you with your studies.”
The girl gave Shreya a full-blown smile, while Maya looked confused.
The next day, as soon as she reached the school, she went to the cabin of Akash Sir and talked with him about the new admission.
To which he replied,
“Great! Go ahead with the new admission, Shreya Mam. Pehchaan The Street School is always open to the children who have lots of dreams for their future.”
“Thank you so much, Sir. On the 10th Anniversary of Pehchaan The Street School, I will take her here.” Saying this, Shreya went away from there.
That night, when Maya was not with her daughter, Shreya called the little girl, who ran to her and sat beside her.
The girl giggled when Shreya ruffled her hair.
Then Shreya once again checked whether Maya was there or not. Not finding her anywhere, she first asked the girl her name.
“What is your name?”
The girl smiled and replied, “Sneha.”
“Wow! A beautiful name. Do you know what your name means?” Shreya asked her.
Sneha nodded her head, “Yes,” and replied, “Friendship, Love, attachment.”
“Great! You are an intelligent girl. Would you like to come with me to the school where I am working?” Shreya asked her.
“Yes…yes. But mom will scold me,” she pouted.
Shreya lifted her chin slowly and smiled at her, “Don't worry about her. In two days, our school’s 10th Anniversary celebrations are going to be celebrated that day. I will take you with me.”
Two days later, Maya saw her little daughter fluttering like a butterfly in the morning.
Along with Maya, Sneha also went to Shreya’s house in the morning.
They saw Shreya finishing up her breakfast. Sneha rushed to her immediately.
Shreya grinned at her and asked, “Are you ready, Little butterfly?”
“Yup! I am ready, Sis,” Sneha replied with a bright smile.
Shreya then wiped her hands and, holding Sneha’s hands after taking her bag, went to Maya, who was looking at them curiously.
“Madam, where are you taking her?” Maya asked, stuttering.
“Don't worry, Maya Di, I am taking her to my school. Today, there is a celebration in our school, and she will enjoy it.” Shreya grinned at Sneha, who also smiled back at her.
Maya tried to stop them, but Shreya's mother calmed her.
Shreya and Sneha reached the school. They saw students along with the staff enjoying themselves.
Sneha was enchanted by the atmosphere there. She got that enthusiasm from seeing students performing their talents on the stage.
And also, she loved the magical cloud show by Wonderlab and Taabur.
And she treated her hunger with the tasty rajma chawal by Little Sherlocks.
Shreya asked her, “Do you also have a sweet tooth?” Sneha smiled sheepishly at her.
Chuckling, Shreya gave her the sweet muffin distributed by Sanya Bakery.
Sneha took it and ate graciously.
After finishing the celebrations, Shreya then took her to Akash Sir and introduced her to him.
He ruffled her hair and asked, “Do you love to study?”
Sneha replied, “Yes, sir. I love to study, and I want to become a great teacher like Shreya Sis — to help many other children like me.”
Shreya and Akash smiled at her.
Then Akash said, “Very good. Then you can come to school tomorrow.”
Sneha's eyes twinkled with joy.
“But money?”
Akash Sir kneeled to her level and said, “You don't need to pay any fees. You can study here for free. Just come with your Shreya Sis every day. You don't even need to buy books, stationery, and bags. Pehchaan The Street School will provide you with everything. So, will you come?”
Sneha grinned and replied, “Yes…Yes…yes!” she squealed in joy.
After that, Shreya and Sneha returned home.
Then Shreya explained everything to Maya, who shed tears of happiness.
“So, now you don't need to stop Sneha from anything. Tomorrow she is coming with me to school. From now we will both go to the same school, and I promise you that I will take care of her,” Shreya promised Maya, who hugged her in happiness and thanked her.
The next day, Sneha and Shreya reached the school. Shreya dropped Sneha off in her respective class.
After some time, along with Akash Sir, a few of the volunteers stepped into her class and started to distribute the books, which were customized with Pehchaan The Street School logo by beyouniquelyou_shop, sling bags by Sunshine Club. in, and pens by Montex Pen Official.
That night, Sneha showed those things to her mother and teacher, showing her excitement.
She then turned to Shreya and said,
“Once upon a time, I read a quote — ‘A candle gives us a light, and a teacher gives us a life.’ Today, I understand the meaning of that quote, Sis. It is true that the candle gives light to our small hurt. It faded away the darkness just like you faded away the darkness in my life and helped me to study.”
She hugged her and thanked her.
20 years later, Sneha stood in front of Akash Sir’s cabin in Pehchaan The Street School — the school which gave her an identity.
She knocked on the door and waited for the reply to come in. After getting the permission, she entered the cabin with a broad smile on her face.
Akash Sir raised his head and saw his once student standing in his cabin now as a teacher.
“Welcome, dear Sneha. My best student.” Sneha grinned and forwarded her resume to him.
Akash Sir read it and right away gave her the appointment letter.
“From now on, you are a Hindi teacher,” he congratulated her and wished her all the best.