MP: Illiterate father pedals cycle for 105km, takes his 10th class Son to exam centre

India is well known for its virtual importance of discipline and moral values, which we take pride in being an Indian. The unconditional love that father has for his children is unmatched that he handles his child with complete care and protection. We run short of adjectives and superlatives to describe the relationship between a father and his child.

We are talking about such a father who cycled for 105 kilometres to ferry his son to the examination centre at Bhoj Girls Higher Secondary School at the district headquarters.

The 38-year-old Shobharam, whose son is a student of class 10, is a tribal labourer from Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh. Since no public transport was available due to the COVID-19 lockdown Shobhram had to travel on a bicycle with his son for 105km to ensure he does not miss Class 10 board’s supplementary exam in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district.

“I want my son to become something after completing his studies. There is no public transport in lockdown. I don’t have even a motorcycle so I have to cover the journey on a bicycle. I saved money for his form for the exam by doing ‘Majdoori’ (daily wage work). I am a farmer but mostly do daily wage work,” Shobhram told ANI.

Shobhram had to face difficulty during the travel but he had no other option. He did this for his son as he wants his son to be highly educated. It has been reported that he covered the distance of 105 kilometre in eight hours on August 17. 

“The buses are not operating even now. There was no one to help me at the village, hence I decided to come here on my bicycle. I left from Dhar on Sunday night itself and stayed overnight at Manawar town. I reached Mandu at 4 am on Tuesday and the exam centre at Dhar just 15 minutes before the examination was to begin,” the report quoted Shobharam as saying. 

Shobharam said he wants to see his son becoming an officer. “Due to the absence of teachers and tuition, my son could not perform well in three subjects. We have come here so that my son did not lose an opportunity to give exams and pass it,” he added.   

The labourer’s son is writing the exams under the Madhya Pradesh government’s scheme-Ruk Jana Nahi-in which class 10 and 12 students, who could not appear for exams conducted by MP secondary education board, get another opportunity to pass the examination.

Writer, historian, and activist Dharam Sikarwar is a very active author The Youth. He writes on national and international issues, environment, politics. He is an avid book reader as well.