Remember the inspiring ‘rags to riches’ story of the 18-year-old Jamal Malik from the slums of Mumbai in the drama film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’? Well, the life story of Shaheena Attarwala is no less than a movie script, with real pain and troubles, that only she and her family can explain.
From sleeping on roads to now living in a spacious Mumbai apartment, Attarwala has seen been through the dark lanes of poverty, reported NDTV. However, with her determination, she came out stronger, to the bright side.
When the now Microsoft employee saw the Netflix series ‘Bad Boy Billionaires: India’, she was immediately transported to her childhood days that were spent praying for a better tomorrow.
Taking to Twitter, she shared how she was able to move away from the slum life to an apartment surrounded by birds and greenery.
The @netflix series "Bad Boy Billionaires – India" Captures a birds-eye view of the slum in Bombay I grew up before moving out alone in 2015 to build my life.
One of the homes you see in the photos is ours. You also see better public toilets which were not like this before. pic.twitter.com/fODoTEolvS— Shaheena Attarwala شاہینہ (@RuthlessUx) January 26, 2022
Attarwala, who is a Product Design Manager at Microsoft further wrote that she moved out of the Darga Galli slum close to Bandra railway station to build her life.
In 2021 my family moved to an apartment where we can see the sky from home, good sunlight & ventilation. Surrounded by birds & Greenery. From my father being a hawker & sleeping on roads to having a life, we could barely dream of. Luck, Hardwork & picking battles that matter😌 pic.twitter.com/J2Ws2i4ffA
— Shaheena Attarwala شاہینہ (@RuthlessUx) January 26, 2022
Obviously, life was harsh on the daughter of a hawker of essential oils who moved from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai. “Life in the slum was hard and exposed me to severest living conditions, gender bias, and sexual harassment but it also fueled my curiosity to learn and to design a different life for myself,” she said to NDTV.
“By the age of 15, I had observed many women around me were helpless, dependent, abused, and going through life without having the freedom to make their own choices or to be who they wanted to be. I did not want to accept the default fate that awaited me,” she divulged.
Like me, millions of families in India live in poverty and are unseen by you. Their only hope is that an average educated Indian will ask the right questions to people in power and that can change their lives.
— Shaheena Attarwala شاہینہ (@RuthlessUx) January 26, 2022
Attarwala, who works in the American multinational technology corporation, was fascinated when she saw a computer in school. “I believed that computers could be a great leveller, that anyone who was sitting in front of it would have opportunities.”
Life in the slum was hard, it exposed me to severest living conditions, gender bias, & sexual harassment but it also fueled my curiosity to learn & to design a different life for myself. pic.twitter.com/RjLf4TfJzl
— Shaheena Attarwala شاہینہ (@RuthlessUx) January 26, 2022
But her poor grades led her to do needlework rather than attending computer classes. However, the ambitious girl didn’t accept that. She insisted her father take a loan for her classes and saved money by skipping lunches and walking back home.
“I quit programming and chose to pursue a career in design because the design made me believe that possibilities exist and things can change and technology is that tool to the change,” she added.
And finally, she moved her family to a better space.
We owe it to our country to ask the right questions to people in authority. #HappyRepublicDay2022
— Shaheena Attarwala شاہینہ (@RuthlessUx) January 26, 2022
An inspiration to many, Attarwala advises young girls to do whatever it takes to acquire education, skills, and careers. “This is what’s going to be a huge game-changer for young girls.”
The Twitter thread wherein she shared her life story was showered with love and praise.
How inspirational! #Onwards
— Raheel Khursheed (@Raheelk) January 26, 2022
You are an inspiration 🙌 for many who dare to dream big.
Asking questions to the people in power is the worst nightmare for people without spine, God has stopped producing people with Spine now a days.
God bless you with all the happiness you desire.
Loved your way of thinking— Roshani (@Roshan32903432) January 28, 2022
Thanks for sharing Shaheena, absolute important purpose of any government should be ” lifting poor out of poverty” human life is sacrosanct, every life deserves dignity, wish our states provide more support and help more in escaping poverty.
— Sunil (@sunil_sachin) January 26, 2022
Salute and tipping my hat for tenacity, determination, hard work. Thx for being exemplary for countless others. 🙏🙏🙏
— erdoctrader (@erdoctraderA4M) January 26, 2022
I also grew up in a place like this many years ago. We also escaped, Stories like yours give us faith in India..more power to you👏👋
— ninad101 (@ninad101) January 27, 2022
You are truly an inspiration. More power to you!