While the use of online tools to hold classes during the pandemic is all the rage, the case of a poor woman in Gadag district tells another side of the story.
Kasturi Chalavadi from Radder Naganur village in Nargund taluk of Gadag district, a mother of four, pledged her 12-gram gold mangalsutra to mobilise funds for purchasing a television set so that her children could watch the classes telecast on Doordarshan (Chandana).
However, as the news spread and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy tweeted expressing shock over the incident, district in-charge Minister C.C. Patil announced that he would restore the ornament soon to Ms. Chalavadi.
But before he could take any action, the private moneylender who had given the loan called up the family to return the mangalsutra. He asked them to return the money at their convenience. By evening, a few donors contacted the family and pooled in to contribute the ₹20,000 taken as loan. The family has now returned the money to the lender.
Ms. Chalavadi’s husband Muttappa is a daily wage worker. With no work because of the pandemic, the family had exhausted all resources, especially after the elder daughter’s wedding recently. Their two other children study in class 7 and 8, and the schoolteachers had asked them follow the online classes. “I thank all the donors,” said Ms. Chalavadi.
