Partially handicapped, Ramshree is from Kherpur village of Kishanganj block in Rajasthan, India. The15-year-old is polio-affected and belongs to the Kherua caste. She is the eldest among nine children of her parents. Her life has been a struggle all along.

She started taking the responsibility of the whole family when she was barely eight or nine years old, for there was no alternative. Her parents used to migrate to various villages in search of livelihood and work in stone quarries, leaving Ramshree behind, entrusted with the role of playing parent to the young siblings. It was by sheer luck that she could come to the residential camp of Doosra Dashak in Bhanwargarh village of the Kishanganj field unit. She studied diligently and became eligible for enrolment in grade VI in formal school. However, it remained a dream for her. She was too old to undergo formal schooling. Besides the age, her physical disability too was a major problem. The middle school was situated approximately four kilometres away from her village and she could not trudge that distance.

She says, "I was even enrolled in a school prior to my joining Doosra Dashak. My physical handicap was a major barrier. Though nobody laughed at me, I myself succumbed to a state of self-pity. I came to the residential camp as some of my close friends were coming and experienced a totally new culture. Whereas the school people were indifferent to my condition, here I felt as if I was being cared and loved.... "

"Now in the Open Middle School the atmosphere is even better. Most of the girls are those who have already studied in residential camps. We live together, do our own work, study not only language and mathematics but everything which has meaning in our lives – particularly the democratic system in our village, about our health, our rights… It has a lot of importance in our lives, particularly as we come from a caste affected for centuries by social deprivation. "

"I am preparing for grade VIII and my teachers say that I can comfortably appear for the exams next time. I believe it would also help me in my livelihood. I do want to study further but all will depend on my being able to convince my parents. My teacher Purushottamji says that I do everything well. His words are my strength."