New Delhi, April 16 -- Sanjay Karmakar would often feel distressed seeing his 12-year-old daughter Misti wake up at 3:30am daily and get ready for javelin training. She would cycle 4 km to reach the athletics academy situated on the outskirts of Malda in West Bengal, come back to attend school and repeat the drill in the evening.
Karmakar, a hawker at the Malda Railway station, didn't have the means to support his daughter's training. On his best day, Karmakar brings home Rs.400 by selling homemade food at the station. Then, there are days when his income takes a hit.
Not being a licensed vendor means he is not always allowed to sell his meals inside the station. It is never enough to support a family of six, including three children, let...