Never imagined I could have my own laptop: Akhilesh beneficiary

The dream of a lifetime came true for a section of girls from remote Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar on Monday, when they received free laptops from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The gadget would be the most precious thing they have owned in their lives so far. For other boys and girls, from better off families, their own laptop gifted by Yadav, meant no more having to beg for permission to use their parent’s or elder sibling’s laptop. 

'I had never imagined that I could have my own laptop. Had the government not given it to me, I would probably never own it in my life,' said Anjali Bhati, hugging her laptop. 

Keeping a pre-poll promise, the UP chief minister at an event in Ghaziabad on Monday, gifted 8,058 free laptops to students who had passed their class XII exam from Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education in 2012. 'I don't know to operate it, but now I will learn,' was most often heard refrian. The youngsters don’t know how the laptop will help them in their studies, but are confident it will help them realise their dreams of a good job and career.  

'After graduation, I will join designing course. The laptop would be very useful then,' said Kirti Sharma, a B Com first year student at the Government Post Graduate College in Noida. For some girls, having a laptop at home means increased security. 'I had to rush to the nearby cyber-cafe to fill forms and local hooligans would harass us on the way,' said Abiba. 'Now, I can do my work at home,' she added.

For girls like Anjali Chauhan, a B Sc first year student, however, the laptop simply means freedom from having to seek her father’s permission to use his laptop. 

'My father has a laptop and so does my brother. I had to seek their permission to use their laptops. But now I have my own laptop,' said Chauhan happily. The first laptop was given to Shweta Priyadarshani, a chess player, who had secured sixth rank at the national level.