Rimjhim (12) and Anjali (11), now only have the principal of their private school to look after them.
Giving a false residential address of Muzaffarpur, Shikha Pandey had admitted the two girls to Shanti Niketan School in the state capital in October, 2006, and did not return, said the school Principal Avineshwar Prasad Singh.
After the woes of the sisters were highlighted in the media, Amitabh Bachchan offered Rs two lakh to them and invited them to the foundation stone laying function of a girls school at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh in the name of her daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai on January 27, 2008.
Being asked about her going underground, she had told the principal that her husband was in jail and she was facing a lot of financial hardship.
The woman accompanied the principal and the girls to the function at Barabanki. Bachchan took the sisters in his arms on the stage and handed over a cheque of Rs two lakh to their mother in her name for their better future, the principal said.
All returned happily to the school the next day and Shikha promised him to take daughters but she never returned, the principal said.
"If I ever get an opportunity, I will definitely tell Amit jee about the sorry episode," he said.
Rimjhim, the elder among the two, is suffering from epilepsy and It is becoming difficult for the Principal to look after her health problem.
He said the girls hate to talk about their mother. Initially they used to cry the whole night but with time tears have dried up in their eyes, Singh said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
