Inspiring story: A young woman who used to sell flowers is now pursuing a PhD at a university in the United States.

A girl who used to sell garlands on Mumbai’s streets is now all set to pursue her PhD at the University of California in the United States. Sarita Mali, 28, is a PhD research scholar in Hindi Literature at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Mali earned her MPhil and postgraduate degrees from JNU, and she will submit her PhD thesis in July.

Mali said to the media that she’s so fortunate to get a seat in JNU. If she hadn’t gotten a seat at JNU, she had no idea where she would be in life. When one of her cousins told her about JNU in 2010, she began studying for the entrance exam. She eventually passed the test and was accepted into JNU’s MPhil programme as an OBC student. All of this happened when she was only 22 years old. Sarita Mali is now secured the admission at the University of California to pursue PhD in religious studie, University of California is widely recognised as one of the world’s greatest universities.

She claimed in an interview with a media outlet, “I was born with problems and financial struggles. Despite my tough circumstances, I have always had big dreams. I never lost faith in my ability to achieve greatness. To me, JNU is a shrine where I’ve learned life lessons. JNU is more than a place where you can get your education certifications; it’s a place where you can discover your own path and destiny. She asked the government to establish additional government financed universities to help marginalized and poor communities.”

Mali went on to say that her family will be proud of her, even if their parents, who are uneducated, have no idea what this achievement means to her. She continued, laughing, claiming she was ready to pursue the American dream.