New Delhi

When Sana Ali of Vidisha, a town in the state of Madhya Pradesh received her appointment letter for the job of technical assistant in the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), it turned out to be a celebration of the human spirit and opportunities that the country offers to hardworking youth.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulated Sana Ali and her family. He called her “Daughter of Vidisha.” Chief Minister Chouhan also belongs to Vidhisha.

In his message posted on Twitter, the chief minister said

"Hearty congratulations to Sana Ali, daughter of Vidisha, on being selected as Technical Assistant at ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Center. Congrats! Ladies like you are making Madhya Pradesh proud and revealing the potential of daughters. I wish you all the best for your happy, successful, and bright future ahead.”

विदिशा की बेटी, सना अली को @isro के सतीश धवन स्पेस सेंटर में टेक्निकल असिस्टेंट के रूप में चुने जाने पर हार्दिक बधाई!

आप जैसी लाडलियां मध्यप्रदेश को गौरवान्वित और बेटियों के सामर्थ्य को प्रकट कर रही हैं। आपके सुखद, सफल और उज्ज्वल भविष्य के लिए शुभकामनाएं देता हूं। https://t.co/SVQdiLGywS

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) January 13, 2023

Even central minister Jyotiraje Scindia, who hails from Madhya Pradesh congratulated  Sana. He complimented Sana for rising above her adverse circumstances to reach this position and become an inspiration to others.

अनेकानेक बधाई, सना! आपके उज्ज्वल भविष्य हेतु शुभकामनाएँ।

कठिन परिस्थितियों में भी प्राप्त आपकी यह उपलब्धि, पूरे मध्य प्रदेश के लिए गौरव की बात है। https://t.co/NcrPIUfYF0

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 13, 2023

Sana’s achievement has to be seen in the context of her social and economic backdrop. Considering that Sana Ali’s father was a bus driver in the engineering college where she completed her B.tech and later M.Tech degrees, Sana's achievement is great.

Her father and family had to raise funds for her education by mortgaging family jewelry and eliciting snide comments from relatives.

Sana's father Sajid Ali used to be employed as a bus driver in the same college from where Sana completed her engineering studies. Sana Ali completed her master's degree from Samrat Ashoka Technology Institute (SATI) of Vidisha.

Sana Ali's family celebrating her appointment i ISRO

However, later Sajid was promoted to the position of a laboratory assistant in the same college.

While Sana was completing her Master's degree, Sajid Ali faced a severe financial crisis. He had to borrow money and pawn his wife’s jewelry to pay for his daughter's education.

As the family made efforts to raise money for their daughter’s higher education, they also faced taunts from extended family and others. People around them disapproved of the family’s obsession with making a daughter go for higher studies when they didn’t have enough resources.

They brazenly asked Sajid why he choose to take a loan for his daughter’s studies as she will have to leave his home one day after her marriage and he would be left to repay the loan.

However, Sajid ignored them and kept supporting his daughter’s education.

Today a proud father Sajid says, “I worked hard to educate my daughter. Despite all the financial constraints, we continued her studies. I told my daughter that she has to complete her studies at any cost and achieve her goal. My daughter also worked hard and reached this point. We are very happy. I pray that my daughter progresses all through her life.

Sana Ali with her parents

After completing her M.Tech course, Sana started preparing for the competition. Sana will be joining the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) at Sriharikota in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh.

Sana told the local media, “I belong to a middle-class family. I want to give a message to all women that they must strive to get an education at any cost. Make all efforts to achieve the goal which you have set in your life. You need to work hard and don't get discouraged by the failures that come your way."

Significantly, Sana not only worked hard in her studies but also gave tuition to young children to meet the expenses related to her education.

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