The Life and Times of Bidisha Balui – A Trainee from IL&FS Skills

Bidisha Balui’s hometown lies in 24 Paragnas district of Kolkata. As the famous adage goes: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” This hold true for Bidisha, who is currently employed with Kochi Marriot as a Guest Service Associate. However, life has never been easy for this gritty young girl.

At the mere age of 14, Bidisha’s mother had to leave her father, because despite working as an electrician he never bought any income home. Her mother worked night and day as a housemaid, to support her two daughters. Out of goodness of heart, her mother returned after three years in the hope that he may have straightened out his ways, but in vain. She had to leave him again.

Bidisha alongside with her mother and her younger sister, left for her maternal grandparent’s home, but for how long could they possible stay at their house. She and her mother began living on their own, but her sister was left with the grandparents. Her mother continued working as a housemaid.

Bidisha could not tolerate the sight of her mother washing utensils, that’s when she dropped from her second year of graduation. It was just then she came across the PMKVY scheme through the mobilization camp held in her area. She immediately visited the centre and enrolled for the F&B Service Steward course, with only one motive in mind – she needed a job and she needed it urgently.

Post-training, she got placed at Sterling Resorts in Kochi at an annual package of 1.2 Lakhs. After two months she received an offer from Kochi Marriot and she simply couldn’t resist the offer. It’s her first job, and her mother refuses to accept the salary. Bidisha says, “My mother insists that I first settle in the new city that’s when she will take the salary from me.”