Rimjhim Kumari (Class of 2020), epitomizes every dreamer who comes to the City of Dreams called Mumbai. However, unlike many who come here for employment or for Bollywood, her sojourn to Mumbai was driven by her thirst for education. Born to a weaver couple in a tiny village in Bihar, Rimjhim had decided to study further. Rimjhim’s parents need to be appreciated for supporting her dream to pursue higher education. They were her first collaborators in enabling her to carve a niche for herself. Having seen her parents belabour for over sixteen hours a day, she was troubled by the disparity between their sincere efforts at the loom and their income. As a first-generation learner, she chose the city of Mumbai for higher education. Her stint at St. Xavier’s and her stay in the city would have been overwhelming initially but she had anyway come to persist and thrive. Her transformation from being a timid greenhorn to a confident young woman is what St. Xavier’s is proud of. Her impressive metamorphosis enabled her to qualify for the prestigious Betty Keating Scholarship which allows deserving students to spend two months at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. Had it not been for the pandemic, Rimjhim would have been an Oxford-returnee.
An avid reader, she has always pursued reading books by highly evolved social scientists and thinkers. During the lockdown, she was awarded the One Future Fellowship (from one Future Collective, a feminist youth-led-not-for-profit organization) which enabled her to research and engage with Dalit artists across the country in what is called the Anti-Caste Art initiative. This idea was triggered due to the first-hand experience of neglect that she had witnessed as part of her own Patwa community which is a traditional weaving community. Her story has been covered by Mid-Day.
St. Xavier’s College is very proud of Rimjhim Kumari and her pursuit for Social Justice. We wish her every success in her journey towards realizing her dreams. We are certain that this is just the first step of success as she embarks upon a trailblazing voyage bearing the torch of education and justice that many will want to follow.
St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Mumbai 
Rimjhim Kumari (Class of 2020), epitomizes every dreamer who comes to the City of Dreams called Mumbai. However, unlike many who come here for employment or for Bollywood, her sojourn to Mumbai was driven by her thirst for education. Born to a weaver couple in a tiny village in Bihar, Rimjhim had decided to study further. Rimjhim’s parents need to be appreciated for supporting her dream to pursue higher education. They were her first collaborators in enabling her to carve a niche for herself. Having seen her parents belabour for over sixteen hours a day, she was troubled by the disparity between their sincere efforts at the loom and their income. As a first-generation learner, she chose the city of Mumbai for higher education. Her stint at St. Xavier’s and her stay in the city would have been overwhelming initially but she had anyway come to persist and thrive. Her transformation from being a timid greenhorn to a confident young woman is what St. Xavier’s is proud of. Her impressive metamorphosis enabled her to qualify for the prestigious Betty Keating Scholarship which allows deserving students to spend two months at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. Had it not been for the pandemic, Rimjhim would have been an Oxford-returnee.
An avid reader, she has always pursued reading books by highly evolved social scientists and thinkers. During the lockdown, she was awarded the One Future Fellowship (from one Future Collective, a feminist youth-led-not-for-profit organization) which enabled her to research and engage with Dalit artists across the country in what is called the Anti-Caste Art initiative. This idea was triggered due to the first-hand experience of neglect that she had witnessed as part of her own Patwa community which is a traditional weaving community. Her story has been covered by Mid-Day.
St. Xavier’s College is very proud of Rimjhim Kumari and her pursuit for Social Justice. We wish her every success in her journey towards realizing her dreams. We are certain that this is just the first step of success as she embarks upon a trailblazing voyage bearing the torch of education and justice that many will want to follow.
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