From poster boy of Maharashtra govt's 'earn and learn' scheme to forgotten achiever

Somnath Giram, a tea vendor who cleared the Chartered Accountant (CA) examination and was subsequently appointed brand ambassador of Maharashtra government's 'earn and learn' scheme in April 2016, was left paralysed from the waist down after meeting with an accident in Solapur on September 8, 2016.

Despite undergoing treatment for seven months, he is immobile. Doctors also established the degree of medical disability at 74 per cent, and have abstained from giving an assurance about a full recovery.

The son of a farmer from Solapur district who left home in 2008 to earn a living and pursue an education at the same time, Giram is now dependent on donations for his treatments, which amounts to Rs 35,000 per month. His tea stall, although being operated by another person, pulls in a meagre

Rs 10,000 per month. Considering his impoverished background at the time of the accident, the state government decided to bear all the medial expenses. Giram alleges that the government has since forgotten about him.

Worried about his future, Giram said, "A number of donors have come forward to bear my expenses. But what about my livelihood?"

Giram now spends his days alone in his room. "I need a government job on compassionate grounds. Not a single official has come forward. My parents are illiterate and I am bed-ridden," said Giram.