Chandigarh: For Ravindra Kumar, the ₹11 lakh finally credited to his family’s bank account on Friday night means the first step toward reclaiming stability and honouring his late daughter’s memory.Nearly three months after 28-year-old PhD scholar Jyoti Yadav died on the Panjab University (PU) campus on July 28 near Girls Hostel Number 8, the long-delayed funds completed the university’s announced ₹16 lakh aid package.An initial ₹5 lakh had been disbursed earlier, but the remaining balance stayed pending amid months of administrative silence and growing distress. The dispatches offer a vital lifeline to a household upended by tragedy.Following Jyoti’s death, Ravindra Kumar stopped working as a school bus driver, and his son, Pawan, left his job in Manesar. The family found itself burdened by more than ₹7 lakh in debt with no dependable income.“Pehle toh jinse paise le rakhe hain, unko dunga,” Kumar said, emphasising that settling debts with those who lent a hand during their darkest months is his immediate priority.Yet, even amid financial strain, Ravindra Kumar looks ahead with purpose. The family hopes to use a portion of whatever remains to establish a charitable initiative in their native village of Kakrala, located in Haryana’s Mahendragarh district, to help underprivileged students who lack resources.“Apni shraddha anusar hum Jyoti ki yaad mein kujh accha bhi krenge. Baki agar kuch bachega toh fir dekhenge,” he said.While the credited amount resolves a critical chapter of the family’s ordeal, two promises remain unfulfilled: a university-appointed job for Pawan and a separate ₹2 lakh insurance payout.For now, the family finds comfort in paying past debts and planting the seeds of a legacy in Jyoti’s name.
