In 2007, however, everything changed. Rescued by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and his team, Manan arrived at hashtag#SMGC’s long term rehabilitation center, Bal Ashram. A place that didn’t just give him safety, but awakened something deeper—curiosity. “It was the first time I could ask questions,” he says. “And no one told me to stay silent.”
At Bal Ashram, knowledge became his rebellion. He started schooling, fell in love with science, and discovered music as a form of peace. His world expanded, from the narrow tunnels of the mines to the wide sky of learning.
Supported by Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation Freedom Fellow Education Fund, Manan completed his degree in Science from Delhi University, followed by a Master’s in Applied Microbiology from KIIT University. Today, Manan is a Junior Research Fellow at AIIMS, Delhi. Beyond laboratories, his voice travelled the world. He spoke at the United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, represented youth at the UN South Asia Forum, and shared his story in Geneva — not as a survivor, but as a scientist and advocate for change.
“Children like me should never be involved in mica mining. They should dig into books, into questions, into life.”
Manan’s story is one among hundreds of children at Bal Ashram. This Diwali, ignite your spark of compassion and protect a childhood. Click on the link to donate: https://lnkd.in/g8gznvSE
