By Shahnawaz Akhtar, IANS,
Giridih (Jharkhand): A 37-year-old homemaker from a humble family here who has become the first woman to win a crore of rupees in “Kaun Banega Crorepati” says she will use her whopping prize money to provide “good education” to her children.
For someone who spent much of her life facing endless hardships and completed her graduation only after marriage, Rahat Taslim is clear that her two children should do well academically — for a better life.
Her son Faisal Iqbal is 10-year-old and daughter Tarannum Taslim is three years younger. Her husband Imtiyaz Ahmad works with the Mica Trading Corp of India on a salary of Rs.6,000.
To provide for the family, which resides in Gaddi Muhalla in Giridih district, Rahat used to sew clothes and earn about Rs.2,000 extra.
She said now that she has won a ‘crore’ (Rs.10 million) on the popular gameshow “Kaun Banega Crorepati-4”, “I will spend the money on providing good education to my children.”
Speaking in a voice choked with emotion over telephone from Mumbai and at least once breaking down, Rahat recalled her unhappy childhood.
“My mother considered herself unlucky as she gave birth to a girl child. But now she would be feeling proud about me,” she said.
Does Rahat have any ambition of her own?
“You know, now that I am a celebrity, I am getting offers from several companies to become the brand ambassador for their products.”
But “I want to become a teacher. The qualification age to become a teacher is over… But if the Jharkhand government provides me a teaching job, I would like to teach and share knowledge with pupils.”
Rahat, who does not regret the early hardships, added: “I have no regrets in life. But now I want to do something more meaningful in life.
“I came to Mumbai to play the game and I did it with confidence. I think Allah wanted to give me the money and from Amitabh Bachchan, so I got it.”