Ravi ek chhote se gaon me paida hua tha, jahan zindagi bahut seedhi aur mushkilon se bhari thi. Uske pita din bhar mazdoori karte the aur maa ghar sambhalti thi. Ghar ki halat itni kamzor thi ki kabhi-kabhi do waqt ka khana bhi mushkil se milta tha. Lekin Ravi ke sapne uski halat se bahut bade the.
Bachpan se hi Ravi padhai me tez tha. Wo hamesha apni class me top karta, lekin uske paas na acche kapde the, na books kharidne ke paise. Wo purani kitaabein jama karta aur dusron se mang kar padhai karta. School uske ghar se 5 kilometer door tha, aur wo roz paidal hi jaata tha. Garmi ho ya baarish, Ravi kabhi school miss nahi karta tha.
Ek din school me teacher ne sab bachchon se poocha, "Bade hokar tum kya banna chahte ho?"
Kisi ne doctor kaha, kisi ne police. Jab Ravi ki baari aayi, usne seedhe aankhon me dekh kar kaha, "Main ek bada officer banunga."
Class me halki si hansi goonj uthi. Lekin teacher ne Ravi ke sir par haath rakh kar kaha, "Sapne bade rakhna galat nahi hota."
Gaon ke kai log uska mazaak banate the. Wo kehte, "Tum jaise gareeb log kya bada banoge?"
Ravi unki baaton ka jawab dene ke bajaye sirf ek baat sochta — "Ek din main sabko galat sabit karunga."
Ek din Ravi ke pita achanak bimaar pad gaye. Doctor ne kaha ki unhe kuch din aaram karna hoga. Iska matlab tha ki ghar ki aamdani ruk gayi. Ghar me paiso ki kami aur badh gayi. Ravi ne faisla kiya ki wo padhai ke saath-saath kaam bhi karega.
Ab uski zindagi aur mushkil ho gayi. Subah school jaata, dopahar me chhoti dukaan par kaam karta aur shaam ko kheton me mazdoori karta. Raat ko jab sab so jaate, tab wo diye ki halki roshni me padhai karta. Kabhi-kabhi thakan itni hoti ki aankhein band ho jaati, lekin wo khud ko sambhal kar phir se kitab khol leta.
Ek baar tez baarish ho rahi thi. Ghar ka chhat tapak raha tha. Ravi apni kitaabon ko bachane ki koshish kar raha tha. Uski maa ek kone me baithi ro rahi thi.
Ravi ne unka haath pakad kar kaha, "Maa, ek din hum bhi pakke ghar me rahenge."
Us din Ravi ke dil me aur bhi zyada himmat aa gayi.
Samay ke saath Ravi ki mehnat rang laane lagi. Board exams ka samay aaya. Ravi ne apni poori jaan laga di. Din-raat ek karke padhai ki. Jab result aaya, to pura gaon hairaan reh gaya — Ravi ne district me top kiya tha.
Is baar sirf gaon hi nahi, aas-paas ke ilaake me bhi uska naam hone laga. Uske school ne usse sammanit kiya. Lekin Ravi ki aankhon me abhi bhi wahi bhookh thi — kuch aur bada karne ki.
College me admission lena uska agla kadam tha. Lekin paise fir se uske raste me khade ho gaye. Ravi ne haar nahi maani. Usne kai jagah kaam kiya, logon se madad maangi, aur scholarship ke liye apply kiya.
Ek din jab wo thak kar ghar laut raha tha, usne dekha ki uski maa chupchaap baithi hai. Ravi ne poocha, "Kya hua maa?"
Maa ne dheere se kaha, "Beta, agar paise na ho paaye, to padhai chhod dena. Hum tumhe aur takleef me nahi dekh sakte."
Ravi ne unki aankhon me dekh kar kaha, "Maa, main kabhi haar nahi manunga."
Kuch hafton baad ek khushkhabri aayi — Ravi ko scholarship mil gayi. Yeh uski zindagi ka sabse bada mod tha. Usne apni maa ko gale laga liya. Dono ki aankhon me khushi ke aansu the.
Shehar ki zindagi Ravi ke liye bilkul nayi thi. Yahan sab kuch tez tha — log, gaadiyaan, aur zindagi ka pace. Ravi ko shuru me bahut mushkil hui adjust karne me. Lekin usne himmat nahi haari.
Wo din me college jaata aur raat ko part-time kaam karta. Kabhi restaurant me waiter ban jaata, kabhi books arrange karta. Kai baar aisa hota ki wo bina khana khaye hi so jaata. Lekin usne apne sapne ko kabhi chhoda nahi.
Ek baar uska exam tha, lekin us din uski tabiyat bahut kharab thi. Doston ne kaha, "Aaj mat jao, rest karo।"
Lekin Ravi ne kaha, "Agar aaj ruk gaya, to kal fir ruk jaunga।"
Wo exam dene gaya aur achha perform kiya.
College ke last year me Ravi ne ek bada competitive exam dene ka faisla kiya. Yeh uski zindagi ka sabse bada challenge tha. Usne apni poori taqat laga di. Din-raat sirf padhai karta, practice karta aur apne sapne ko yaad karta.
Kabhi-kabhi wo apne aap se poochta, "Kya main kar paunga?"
Phir turant uska dil jawab deta, "Haan, kyunki tumne kabhi haar nahi maani।"
Aur phir wo din aaya jisne sab kuch badal diya. Result declare hua. Ravi ka naam list me tha. Wo exam clear kar chuka tha.
Us pal Ravi chup ho gaya. Uski aankhon me aansu the, lekin is baar yeh aansu dard ke nahi, khushi ke the. Usne turant apni maa ko phone kiya aur kaha, "Maa, main safal ho gaya।"
Jab Ravi apne gaon wapas gaya, to uska swagat kisi hero ki tarah hua. Jo log kabhi uska mazaak udate the, aaj usse salute kar rahe the.
Ravi ne sabse pehle apne pita ka achhe hospital me ilaaj karwaya. Usne apni maa ke liye ek pakka ghar banwaya, jisme baarish ka paani kabhi andar nahi aata tha.
Lekin Ravi ka asli sapna abhi bhi zinda tha — dusron ki madad karna. Usne apne gaon me ek school khol diya. Yahan gareeb bachchon ko free me padhaya jaata tha.
Wo aksar bachchon se kehta, "Sapne dekhna kabhi mat chhodo, chahe zindagi kitni bhi mushkil kyu na ho।"
Ek din Ravi apne purane school ke raaste par chal raha tha. Usne wahi mitti chhui jahan se wo bachpan me guzarta tha. Usne aasman ki taraf dekh kar kaha,
"Zindagi ne mujhe giraya bahut baar, lekin maine har baar uthna seekha. Shayad wahi meri sabse badi jeet thi।"
Uski kahani sirf uski nahi thi, balki har us insaan ki thi jo mushkilon ke bawajood sapne dekhne ki himmat rakhta hai।"....Zindagi me sangharsh hi insaan ko majboot banata hai. Jo mushkilon se ladta hai, wahi apni kismat khud likhta hai।"