By Pooja Malhotra | Resource Mobilization
From the Pavement to Possibility: The Journey of Laxmi Deshmukh
At just three years old, Laxmi was found wandering near Hanuman Mandir — not an uncommon sight for children living on the streets of Delhi. Her earliest memories are a blur of traffic, noise, and the daily struggle to survive. Some days, she sold balloons, hoping the small earnings would be enough for a meal. On others, she relied on the kindness of strangers at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, where the langar offered not only food but a rare sense of dignity.
Laxmi’s life could easily have followed a tragic path like so many forgotten children of the streets. But fate intervened. A staff member from Salaam Baalak Trust spotted her at one of their Contact Points — a day care centre for vulnerable children. With no adult guardian to turn to, they took a leap of faith and brought her into the safety of a shelter home. It was a decision that changed everything.
In 2010, Laxmi lost her parents — who had been living on the pavement in central Delhi — to drug addiction. Orphaned and with no extended family to claim her, she was placed at one of the Salaam Baalak Trust’s residential homes. There, her journey truly began — not just of survival, but of transformation.
From the start, her mentors noticed something special. Despite the trauma and instability of her early years, Laxmi was bright, curious, and remarkably talented. She quickly caught up academically and was admitted to an English-medium school in LKG. As the years passed, she didn’t just keep pace — she excelled.
Her small frame belied a powerful spirit. Whether competing in zonal-level kho-kho, playing chess, or demonstrating an impressive grasp of general knowledge, Laxmi approached everything with determination. She found her voice — quite literally — in music, studying for a year at the prestigious Gandharva Mahavidyalaya after earlier training at Tansen Global Institute.
Laxmi also became an active member of Salaam Baalak Trust’s Theatre Group, performing in stage productions and street plays across the city. Over time, she stepped into a leadership role, mentoring younger girls and teaching them theatre and dance — passing on not only her skills, but also her resilience.
Academically focused, she chose Social Science and Economics in her senior secondary years and scored an impressive 71% in Class 12. Determined to pursue a professional path, she appeared for the national entrance exam of the Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management and secured admission to their BBA program.
She graduated with a professional degree and a job in hand. During her internship, her dedication and performance impressed her employers so deeply that she was offered a full-time position upon completion. Today, she works at a Travel company, learning, growing, and proving every day that she is far more than her past.
But Laxmi’s story does not end here.
With her sights now set on a master’s degree, she continues to dream big. She hopes to deepen her expertise in travel and tourism and, one day, help build systems that uplift children who once had nothing but hope.
Laxmi Deshmukh’s journey is a testament to resilience, the power of support systems, and the unstoppable strength of a girl who refused to let the street define her future.
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By Pooja Malhotra | Fund Mobilization
By Samiya rizvi | Project Leader
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