Jora Singh over the moon as kids get smartphone

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 30

Jora Singh, originally a ferryman and now a construction worker because of the prevailing conditions, is walking on the air. A day after The Tribune highlighted his struggles about how he was working hard to get a smartphone, so that his children could study, Good Samaritans heard his plea and a smartphone is now in his rough labouring hands.

Singh is full of gratefulness for those, who helped him out, and of course, soothed to heart. “Now, I am relieved that my children will be able to note down the work that is given online and study. I purchased the smartphone yesterday and my children are studying with full dedication on the phone today,” he says. The children had books, but were not being able to read the online material being uploaded by the teachers, as schools continue to remain shuttered.

He has three daughters and a son studying in a smart school, the Government School, Jhandi Peer, Kadiana, in Phillaur. His elder son, Simranjit Singh, has eyes set on becoming a teacher, while daughters Navjot and Prabhjot Kaur aspire to join the police.

Jagjit Singh Randhawa, the schoolteacher, says that the elated father told him that he had finally bought the phone after getting monetary help, and requested him to send the online material as well.

“I provide every student with proper education material. I have been teaching these kids for long and they have capabilities in them to grow in their lives. They were having a little trouble because of lack of a smartphone, but that problem has also been resolved now,” the teacher shares.

A resident of Kadiana village in Phillaur, Singh owns a small boat and ferries pilgrims from Ludhiana to Jahndi Peer – his means of livelihood for family for the last 16 years. For the past four months, he was having trouble in his work, but today has been one of his best days, as he again ferried some pilgrims after a long time to Jhandi Peer. “I hope this continues,” he expects.