The switchover to online classes for students, due to the coronavirus pandemic, was not easy for Kuldeep Kumar, a father-of two and a poor milkman in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Having no smartphone or an internet connection, for his children to attend classes, he had to sell his cow to purchase one.
The cow, a substantial source of income for the family, was sold for an amount equivalent to Dh294, just enough to buy the smartphone so that the two children could continue their studies online, amidst the COVID-19 lockdown in India.
The family lives in a cowshed at the Gummer village in Jwalamukhi town, in Kangra district.
Kumar’s daughter Anu and son Vansh are studying in the fourth and second grade, respectively, in a free of cost government school that is mostly attended by children coming from lower income households.
Kumar, earns his livelihood by selling milk, and his wife is a daily-wage worker. He told local news outlets that he did not have even Rs500 (Dh25), so, arranging Rs6,000 (Dh294) was a difficult task.
“I was feeling bad that I could not afford a device for my children so that they could attend online classes. So I decided to sell one of my cows for Rs6,000,” he was quoted as saying, by local news outlets.
Before selling the animal, the couple approached banks and private lenders but they were unsuccessful.
Sonu Sood vows to return the cow
As Kumar’s story started being shared on social media, it came to the attention of Bollywood actor, Sonu Sood, who vowed to help the poor milkman.
Commenting on a July 23 post about Kumar, @SonuSood wrote: “Let’s get this guy’s cows back. Can someone send his details please.”
Sood, who has been described as a real life “superhero” after his continuous efforts in helping workers in India amidst the COVID-19 crisis, was praised once again online.
Tweep @Deepayadav09 wrote: “An actor alone doing so much for the poor of our country imagine how much could have done by our so called millionaire politicians. I salute Sonu Sood sir to the core of my heart may God give you more health and wealth in return of your good deeds…”
