Mission Delhi – Pankaj Kumar, a Construction Site
One of the one percent in 13 million.
[Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi]
Some weeks back, a bungalow in a posh neighbourhood emptied of its longtime dwellers. Overnight, blue tin barricades came up around the deserted house. Next, the house was demolished. Next, construction of a new building started. A troupe of labourers have been stationed on the site for some days. This evening, one of them agrees to draft his biodata for us.
Name: Pankaj Kumar
Age: 18
Place of domicile: I’m from Purbi Champaran in Bihar. My hometown is Ghorasahan, and my village is Kasara Laukhan.
Current job: I’m a labourer.
Experience: I started this work one and a half month back. It is my first job. Earlier, I was busy in my studies.
Educational qualifications: I have successfully passed my 10th and 12th grade exams. Currently, I’m a BA first year student at JNLM College in Ghorasahan. Full name—Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial College. My subjects are Hindi literature and Arts.
Family background: We are seven people, including my mummy, papa, and dada, dadi. I’m the manjhla of three brothers. Papa was a raj mistri, but now he takes care of our khet in the village. The land that we own consists of seven kathha. 20 kathha comprises one beegha, so you can conclude how tiny our khet is. My dada too was a worker.
Dreams: My target is to one day join the defence line. The army job has more guarantee, it gives honour to the family, and I will have the satisfaction to protect our India from our enemies. But it is not easy to get into the army. In case if this dream does not become a reality, then I will like to start my own project. For now, I can say that I want to do something big in life.
Hobbies: Ghoomna-phirna, listening to songs on mobile.
Anything else you want to share: There are problems at home. So I’m obliged to work. But I’m determined to finish my graduation, though these days I’m not able to study. Because I work for long hours and get tired by the end of the day, and also because my course books are in the village.
Current residence: I live where I work.
[This is the 524th portrait of Mission Delhi project]
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