5 Key Takeaways
- Ragini, a seven-year-old in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, lost one leg as an infant and hops about 400 metres to school on her remaining leg.
- Her family, dependent on daily-wage labour, could not afford a prosthetic leg or tricycle, so she asked the District Magistrate for a tricycle.
- After her story went viral, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh provided Rs 26,500 and a tricycle, and promised further assistance.
- Ragini had been registered under a government scheme but missed benefits because her school admission was late, exposing an administrative gap.
- Her story highlights the barriers children with disabilities face in rural India and the need for mobility support without relying on viral attention.
A Seven-Year-Old’s 400-Metre Journey to School on One Leg
A seven-year-old girl in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, has become the face of extraordinary determination to get an education. Ragini lost one leg in an accident when she was just six months old. Every school day, she hops roughly 400 metres to her classroom on her remaining leg. Sometimes the journey becomes too much and she stops to rest. But she has refused to give up on her dream of studying.
Her story gained widespread attention after she made an emotional plea to a local official. It has since brought practical help, but it also illustrates the everyday barriers that children with disabilities in rural India can face before they even enter a classroom.
An Accident That Changed Everything
Ragini’s mother, Babita Devi, remembers carrying her daughter to get medicine when the accident occurred. Ragini suffered severe injuries to one leg. The family sought treatment in several places, but the limb could not be saved.
“We had her treated at several places, but her leg could not be restored. We simply did not have enough money for further treatment,” Babita said.
As Ragini grew older, she would watch children from her neighbourhood walk past her house carrying school bags. That sight deepened her wish to join them. Babita described the emotional toll.
“Bachche jab basta lekar mere ghar ke saamne se school jaate hain, toh Ragini ko bhi rona aata hai. Wo bolti hai, ‘Mujhe bhi padhna hai’ (When children pass my house carrying their school bags, Ragini also starts crying. She says, ‘I want to study too’),” Babita said.
A Difficult Daily Commute
Ragini did begin attending school. On some days, a family member accompanied her. On other days, she hopped the route by herself.
The distance from her home to the school may not be long for an able-bodied adult, but for a seven-year-old using one leg it is physically demanding. Her family said what she needs now is practical support to make the journey easier, particularly a prosthetic leg—an artificial limb that can replace a missing leg—or a tricycle.
Her father works as a daily-wage labourer, meaning he is paid only for the days he finds work. The family cannot afford such assistance on its own.
Ragini made a simple and direct request. It was aimed at the District Magistrate, a senior local administrative officer often referred to as the “DM.”
“DM uncle, mujhe ek tricycle de dijiye, main usse school jaungi (DM uncle, Please give me a tricycle; I will use it to go to school),” she said.
Ajit Pal, the school principal, said Ragini has considerable difficulty travelling to school. Her registration under a government scheme had been completed, but she missed out on the benefits because her admission took place late.
A Viral Story Brings Help
After her story spread on social media, Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stepped in. The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of India’s Parliament.
The family received Rs 26,500 in financial assistance. A local team from the party visited Ragini’s village and handed her a tricycle. Singh also spoke to Ragini and her family over a video call and assured them of further assistance.
What Happens Next
Ragini now has a tricycle and some immediate financial support, which should make her school commute far less exhausting. The family had also identified a prosthetic leg as a possible longer-term need, and Singh’s assurance of further assistance suggests that may receive attention.
Still, the case exposes a gap. Ragini was registered under a government scheme, but she missed out on its benefits because her admission took place late. That administrative delay left a determined seven-year-old hopping to school until public attention mobilised help. Her courage turned a personal struggle into a widely seen story, but the wider challenge is ensuring children like her do not have to rely on viral attention to get the mobility support they need.
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