Rani Gardia has never let being born without forearms slow her down. The teenager from Maneswar, a town in Sambalpur district of Odisha, tackles her studies with the same determination she brings to the badminton court. Her sheer willpower was evident at the 5th National Para Badminton Championship in Lucknow in March 2023, where she won a silver medal in the U-19 girls SU-5 singles category.
But when Rani hit Class 10, her studies became overwhelming. Her family couldn’t afford extra tutoring, and the subjects were getting harder every day. That’s when Team ‘Bless the Children’ reached out to Sambalpur Silks Lions Club, District 322C2, asking if they could help this talented student.
Impressed by the way Rani balanced schoolwork with training as a para badminton player, and how she refused to let obstacles stop her, the club quickly arranged funding for a personal tutor who could give her the focused help she needed.
The strategy worked— Rani passed her matriculation exams and continues her educational journey with the club’s ongoing financial backing.
Rani’s story is a familiar one to the members of Sambalpur Silks Lions Club. Every year, the club sponsors seven or eight children who have the drive to succeed but lack the financial means. The members know well that removing financial barriers at the right moment can change everything for a motivated student. Their approach is straightforward: identify young people already working hard despite difficult circumstances, then provide them with a helping hand to keep them going.
Through stories like Rani’s, Sambalpur Silks Lions demonstrates that educational assistance works best when it meets determination halfway. Student by student, they’re helping turn potential into achievement.
