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Kalpana Saroj’s life is a classic rags-to-riches story.

What kind of story is it? It is a classic rags-to-riches story.

She once worked for just pennies a day. Now she is a multimillionaire.

Did she once work for just a few dollars a day? No, she didn’t once work for just a few dollars a day. She once worked for just pennies a day. Is she rich now? Yes, now she is a multimillionaire.

Kalpana was not just born poor. She was born into a Dalit family.

Was she born rich? No, she wasn’t born rich. She was born poor. What kind of family was she born into? She was born into a Dalit family.

Dalits, also known as untouchables, are at the bottom of society according to the traditional Indian caste system.

What are Dalits known as? Dalits are also known as untouchables. Are they at the top or bottom of society? They are at the bottom of society.

Discrimination against lower castes was made illegal in the 1950s, but it’s still a problem.

What was made illegal? Discrimination against lower castes was made illegal. When was it made illegal? It was made illegal in the 1950s. Is discrimination against lower castes still a problem? Yes, discrimination against lower castes is still a problem.

Kalpana was a fun-loving child with lots of friends, but adults weren’t always so kind to her.

What kind of child was she? She was a fun-loving child. Who wasn’t always so kind to her? Adults weren’t always so kind to her.

The parents of other children forbade their children from going to her house and told them never to accept food from her.

Where did the parents of other children forbid their children from going? The parents of other children forbade their children from going to her house. What did they tell them never to accept? They told them never to accept food from her.

Even some of Kalpana’s teachers tried to separate her from other students and stop her from joining after school activities.

What did her teachers try to stop her from doing? They tried to stop her from joining after school activities.

Despite this discrimination, she was a bright girl who did well at school.

Was she a stupid girl? No, she wasn’t a stupid girl. She was a bright girl who did well at school.

Her father was a policeman in a small village. Although he was uneducated, he wanted his daughter to continue her education.

What did her father do? Her father was a policeman. Was he educated? No, he was uneducated. Did he want his daughter to continue her education? Yes, he wanted his daughter to continue her education.

This did not go over well with the community. Her family and neighbors protested, and her father gave in.

What didn’t go over well with the community? Kalpana getting an education didn’t go over well with the community. Who protested? Her family and neighbors protested. Did her father give in? Yes, her father gave in.

Kalpana says that girls were seen as a burden on their families.

Were boys seen as a burden on their families? No, boys weren’t seen as a burden on their families. Girls were seen as a burden on their families.

And educating girls was seen as a waste. The norm at the time was for Dalit girls to get married young.

What was seen as a waste? Educating girls was seen as a waste. Did Dalit girls normally get married in their 30s? No, Dalit girls didn’t normally get married in their 30s. They normally got married young.

Her father buckled under the pressure of the community and took her out of school in the 7th grade.

Who buckled under the pressure? Her father buckled under the pressure. Did he take her out of school? Yes, he took her out of school. When did he take her out of school? He took her out of school in the 7th grade.

He then married her off to a 22-year-old man. Kalpana was just 12 years old.

How old was the man she married? The man she married was 22 years old. How old was Kalpana? She was 12 years old.

Kalpana said she didn’t expect married life to be a bed of roses.

Who said she didn’t expect married life to be a bed of roses? Kalpana said she didn’t expect married life to be a bed of roses.

It was traditional for in-laws to be strict with new daughter-in-laws, but her husband’s family was sadistic.

Was it traditional for in-laws to be strict with new daughter-in-laws? Yes, it was traditional for in-laws to be strict with new daughter-in-laws. Was Kalpana sadistic? No, Kalpana wasn’t sadistic. Her in-laws were sadistic.

As a scrawny child of just 12 years old, she was supposed to cook and clean for 12 people.

Was she a fat child? No, she wasn’t a fat child. She was a scrawny child. How many people was she supposed to cook and clean for? She was supposed to cook and clean for 12 people.

Without any experience, she naturally made mistakes and paid dearly for them.

What didn’t she have? She didn’t have experience. Did she make mistakes? Yes, she naturally made mistakes. Did she pay dearly for them? Yes, she paid dearly for them.

If the house wasn’t clean enough or if the food was burnt or too salty, she was beaten.

What would happen if the food was burnt? If the food was burnt, she was beaten.

She was regularly kicked, punched and emotionally abused.

Was she only physically abused? No, she wasn’t only physically abused. She was also emotionally abused.

Her mother-in-law once said, “You’re such a stupid girl. Your mother must have been with a donkey.”

Who said, “You’re such a stupid girl. Your mother must have been with a donkey”? Her mother-in-law once said, “You’re such a stupid girl. Your mother must have been with a donkey.”