‘Tare Zamen Pe’- There are Stars on Earth

‘Tare Zamen Pe’- There are Stars on Earth

Syed Ali Mujtaba

The Hindi movie ‘Tare Zamen Pe’ starring Amir Khan dealing with the subject of a talented young child who is unable to cope up with the studies due to some curable disorder must have moved many hearts. At least I can say with certainty that I was inspired by this movie and felt helping one such talented star on earth who can achieve greater heights, provided she get right attention at the right point of time.

Her name is Rosy a.k.a Ms Roquia Khatoon, age 12, class 9 c student of Qasmi High School, Gaya, Bihar. She twinkles in a crammed room with eight members of her family at a building called Mini Market at Bazaza road Gaya, where her father works as a watchman.

An exceptionally talented girl, Rosy has learnt some basics of computer just by watching and observing the people using it. Her friendship with the computers began at 9 and now at the tender age of 12, she is self employed, making enough money to buy toys and ice creams for herself. She has a E mail – roqaiya_khatoon@yahoo.co.in and a mobile phone – 0091- 9304638569.

Born to uneducated family, where basic facilities of reading and writing are not available, it’s a remarkable achievement by Rosy to acquire some basic skills of computers.

I was curious about computers as I use to see many people sitting in front of it in the Internet shop in the building of the Mini Market. So I once stepped inside the shops to observe what’s going on there. I saw rich children of my age playing games and enjoying it. I observe them and within few minutes borrowed money from father to play the games. That’s how my friendship with began with the computers. That was in 2003, I was 9 then, the first game I played was ‘Prince,’ Rosy recalled.

The internet shop I was visiting had a printing press attached to it and did lot of desk top publishing work on the computers there. I observed people typing in English and Hindi and so started pressing the alphabets to learn the typing skills. First it was English typing and then learnt Hindi typing pressing the English alphabets on the key board. I also learnt to make a file and save it in a folder. Then I went on to learn the page-maker and tired my hands designing logos, visiting cards, marriage cards, birthday cards, pamphlets posters, resumes and book cover, she said.

The shopkeeper saw me practicing and recognized my talent and started giving me work but no money. I realized the air-conditioned shop was a good place to spend time and so after coming back from school. Since I lived in the same building, I use to sit in the shop till it downed the shutters at night.

I also learnt making horoscopes using the internet. This work was in great demand especially during marriage season when people came for matching the horoscopes of the bride and the groom. I also started to working on excel and prepared accounts and balance of the shopkeepers of the Mini Market.

My work was appreciated and people started knowing me by name. They came looking for me in the shop, and gave their work. The shopkeeper was kind enough to give me some money, but I think he made more then what he gave for the work I did.

Then something bad happened. One day I found that the shop was closed forever. I don’t know what the reasons were for it. I felt shattered since I liked this shop very much and enjoyed staying there. But since many people knew me, they came coming there looking for me. So I asked my brothers to get me a computer on rent and install it on our tiny room. I resumed the activity from my place. In one year’s time, I became proud owner of a computer.

Talking about computer education in school, Rosy said her school has only two computers and that was meant for only high school students. Since I am still in 9th class, I don’t have access to the computer at school, she said.

However, my school principal is aware of my part time activity and in 2006 he had given me a project to design the students’ identity card. There were numerous designs that came for approval before the selection committee but among them mine was considered to be the best by the school authorities. The principal facilitated me for this at a school function and I was called on stage and was given a memento, Rosy said.

Talking about her studies she said, she likes science, particularly physics and mathematics. She is getting 80 per cent marks in science, 92 per cent in general knowledge. I am weak in English and would like to have tuition in that subject, Rosy said.

Talking about her dreams, she said, she wants to learn every thing about computers I want to take this as my major subject, once I am in the 11th standard. I don’t know how far I can go, she said with a twinkle of despondency that was reflected in eyes.


Well, kids like Rosy are cases of exceptionally talented twinkling stars on this earth that require proper guidance and attention. I am sure there may be some philanthropists and charity minded people who can adopt Rosy and help achieve her dreams. Any one interested in doing so can directly contact her at E mail – roqaiya_khatoon@yahoo.co.in or mobile phone – 0091- 9304638569.

This write-up is a promise by a journalist to a star on earth to do his best to help her achieve her dreams. Needless to say the inspiration to do so came after seeing the movie “Tare Zamen Pe.”

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a working journalist based in Chennai. He hails from Bihar and ca be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com