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Maharashtra mother abandoned with toddler now drives auto daily to afford an English medium education dream
Entertainment
Published on 16 May 2026
She built a tiny seat so Teju could ride
Komal Gaikwad of Parbhani was forced into a life-changing pivot after financial hardship blocked college and her husband left her alone when her daughter Teju was just 18 months old. With childcare impossible, she rented an auto and began driving it herself, adjusting the vehicle so her toddler could stay comfortable beside her. Earning Rs 400 to Rs 500 a day, she saved relentlessly and bought her own rickshaw on EMI. A viral video amplified her story, as her ultimate goal remains Teju’s English-medium schooling.
- Komal’s 10th board completion couldn’t lead to college due to finances
- She married in 2018 and moved to Kalyan with her auto-driver husband
- After Teju’s birth in 2022, her husband left and did not return
- She earns Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily while driving with her 18-month-old
- Komal bought her own rickshaw on EMI five months ago
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times