Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Aug: The insistence of Jahnavi Panwar from Dharali to take her parents along to Graphic Era University ended up saving her family’s life. Jahnavi’s home and her father’s hotel were destroyed in the Dharali disaster. Graphic Era has announced that Jahnavi’s entire education will now be free of cost.
Jahnavi’s family was living a happy life in Dharali, Uttarkashi. She passed her Class 12 exams this year and had come to Dehradun to take admission in BA (Hons) at Graphic Era Deemed University. Jahnavi insisted that her parents accompany her to the university for admission. To keep their daughter happy, her parents came along to Dehradun.
While they were in Dehradun, the disaster struck Dharali, destroying their 40-room hotel, home, and apple orchard. Respecting their daughter’s wish turned out to be a life-saving decision for the family. Jahnavi says, “If my parents had not come with me to Dehradun, I don’t know what would have happened.”
On learning about the incident from a major news channel, Chairman Dr Kamal Ghanshala, Graphic Era Group of Institutions, personally called Jahnavi’s father, Jai Bhagwan Singh Panwar, to express his condolences. Dr Ghanshala announced that Jahnavi will not have to pay any fees for any semester of her course.
Dr Ghanshala also stated that, if information is received about other students affected by the Dharali disaster, similar decisions will be considered for them as well. Dr Ghanshala has always stood with the people of the state during crises. In the 2012 Uttarkashi disaster and the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, he personally initiated relief work. Many students affected by the Joshimath disaster are currently studying at Graphic Era free of cost, from BTech to PhD. The university also built a house for an elderly woman from Raini (Joshimath) who lost her home in the disaster.
Teachers and students praised Dr Ghanshala’s spirit of helping others, saying his actions set an example for many and teach students not just to become skilled professionals but also compassionate human beings.
