Gita Champions League Winner Maryam Siddiqui Donates Prize Money For Education Of Poor!

Drawing inspiration from Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai to promote the cause of Education for All, 'Gita girl' Maryam Siddiqui said she had decided to return the Rs 11 lakh cash award given to her by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. In a gesture of generosity unusual for a 12-year-old, Maryam also contributed two cheques of Rs 11,000 each to the CM's Relief Fund and said she would like to see the funds being used for educating orphaned and needy children in the state.

Maryam was felicitated on Saturday by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav at an official function in Lucknow, where he gave her a cash award of Rs 11 lakh and a plaque for winning the Gita Champions League in January, and for her efforts to promote peace and communal harmony. Maryam told TOI she is now on a mission to promote the cause of education for the poor. "Education is the only route to change their destiny," she said.

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Speaking to TOI, Maryam said, "I'm grateful to the UP government for conferring this honour on me. I have, however, the means to lead a reasonable life because Al mighty has been kind to my parents. But there are many children not as lucky as I am.So, I decided to return the cash award to the state government to be used for the betterment of children in need." By Saturday evening, Maryam's father, Asif Siddiqui, confirmed they had submitted an official letter to the UP government requesting them to use her cash award for educating children. In an interview with TOI, the girl shared that she had also turned into an ambassador of peace and would spread word against communal clashes in UP.

"Communalism was country's biggest enemy . It overshadows the real issues marring India," she said reciting a couplet penned by her: "Na masjid ko jaante hain ... na Shivalay ko jaante hain ... jo bhookhe pet hote hain ... woh do niwale ko jaante hain, (A hungry person has nothing to do with religion)," she stated. Maryam believes that so called-leaders who tweak religion to suit their aims must be punished. "Freedom of speech doesn't mean hurting sentiments. Those who make incensing remarks must be dealt with strictly," she stated.

A student of class VI, Maryam was initiated into the Bhagwad Gita by her father Asif Siddiqui, four years ago."Once she came to me asking why there was a smaller number of Muslims in her class. I felt bad about a child thinking on religious lines as it is a threat to country's age-old secular fabric," he said, adding, "One can value others only if one understands their faith and thought process. I thought of beginning from home."

The little girl loved reading Bhagwad Gita and shared the secret of her success. "Instead of cramming the facts, I decided to understand and memorise the events ¡ª something which I follow in school as well," she said. About lessons learnt from Gita, Maryam said, "The first lesson is that good and evil coexist in a person's mind and there is a constant fight between the two. The second and more important message is that everyone has to battle with the evil to let goodness win."

Curious about religious knowledge, Maryam has now started reading the Holy Bible."All religions teach peace and humanity and I look forward to master it soon," she said.

Maryam also met Prime Minister Narednra Modi recently.

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(Originally published in The Times of India)