By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam
Manikarnika (name changed both for privacy and security reasons) was a lively sixteen-year-old studying in a College near her village which was located 200 kms from the State capital of a Eastern State of India. Being a tribal girl was not easy and she was lucky to have a father who ensured that all his four children got a decent education. Manikarnika aspired to become a nurse and dreamt of serving in a hospital located close to her village. From her young days, she was very concerned about the plight of her people and wanted to contribute in any way she could to make their lives better.
