In an inspiring tale of perseverance and love, Manpreet Kaur and her 25-year-old daughter, Gurleen Kaur, have successfully navigated the challenges of higher education, earning their degrees side by side. This remarkable achievement is especially poignant given Gurleen’s visual impairment and the hurdles they overcame together.
Manpreet Kaur, who married at the tender age of 18, had to forgo her own higher education aspirations. However, her daughter’s enrollment in the humanities stream at Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women ignited a new determination in her. Recognizing the importance of education, Manpreet taught herself Braille and began creating personalized audiobooks to support Gurleen’s studies.
The academic journey was a shared endeavor. Both mother and daughter chose the same subjects—history and political science—fostering a deep intellectual bond. While Gurleen complemented her studies with Elective English, Manpreet opted for Punjabi, a subject she felt more comfortable with. “We both opted for two same subjects — history and political science. While I picked Elective English as the third subject, my mother was more comfortable with Punjabi,” Gurleen explained.
Gurleen, who dreams of joining the civil services, revealed the unique approach they took to her education. “Though some NGOs had audiobooks for all subjects, I was never comfortable with them. I always asked my mother to record chapters in her own voice,” she shared, highlighting the personalized support that made a significant difference in her learning experience.
Manpreet reflected on the challenges they faced, saying, “It was easy to record audiobooks. I had no idea that learning and appearing for exams at this stage could be so difficult. Had Gurleen and her father not given me the push, I would have quit studies after the first year.” Gurleen added, “It was the other way round at our place. I had to encourage my mother to sit with me and motivate her to prepare for exams.”
The culmination of their hard work was celebrated with both receiving their degrees during the college convocation, where they were honored with a standing ovation. Sukhwinder Arora, Gurleen’s father, expressed his pride, stating, “It was great to see both my wife and daughter receive degrees together. Both got a standing ovation during convocation.”
As Gurleen embarks on online coaching for the civil services exam, Manpreet continues her unwavering support by providing detailed audio notes, ensuring that her daughter remains well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
This heartwarming story underscores the power of familial support and determination in overcoming educational barriers, serving as an inspiration to many in the community.
