Jyoti Kumari had cycled 1200 km with her injured father sitting on the rear carrier of her cycle to reach home. (Screenshot/BBCNewsHindi)
Jyoti Kumari, who caught worldwide attention after she had been forced to cycle more than 1200 kilometres to reach home amidst a nationwide lockdown earlier this month, has decided to prioritise her studies over the trial offer from Cycling Federation of India.
“I wish to complete my studies first. I also feel physically weak now after such a long arduous journey,” the 15-year-old told The Hindu.
Speaking from her home in Bihar’s Sirhulli, where she reached after a seven-day journey — with her injured father sitting on the rear carrier of her bicycle — from Gurugram on May 16, Jyoti said, “Earlier, I could not continue my school education because of my family problems and I was occupied with domestic work… but now I wish to complete my matriculation first.”
On Sunday, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) offered to sponsor her education as president Chirag Paswan said, “I will sponsor her education in any stream which she thinks is best for her.”
A second-hand cycle bought with the Rs 2,000 that was left in the house, and a bottle of water, was all that 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari Paswan had when she decided to take her ailing father from Sikandarpur in Haryana to Darbhanga in Bihar. https://t.co/oveu65OZoa
Talking about his daughter, father Mohan Paswan told PTI, “We will surely send her for the trials after the lockdown is lifted. She was enrolled in class nine yesterday. At the moment, we want her to complete her matriculation.
The District Magistrate of Darbhanga has enrolled Jyoti in class nine at the Pindaruch High School. She has also been given a brand new bicycle, school uniform, and shoes for her higher education.
Following the news of Jyoti’s feat, the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) had reached out to her, saying they wanted to give her a trial at the IGI Stadium complex in New Delhi and that they would bear all expenses for her to appear at a trial.
“She must be having the strength and physical endurance. We want to test it,” CFI chairman Onkar Singh had said earlier this week.
The New York Times reported Jyoti’s story of being invited for a trial as that of a ‘lionhearted girl… inspiring a nation’. US President’s daughter Ivanka Trump had also tweeted the story as a heartwarming one.