Former IITian now sells handmade paintings for a living on streets of Washington

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata, Jan 23, 2018 : With her passport lost, jobless, and staying in a motel on a daily basis, a former Kharagpur IITian from Kolkata sells paintings on the streets of Washington, US to make a living. Family members in Kolkata say there are unaware of her condition and that they will approach the central government to help her out. The matter was highlighted when a group of Indian’s working in the US met Jayshri Gill on the streets of Bellevue, Washington on 148th Avenue. Jayshri was selling handmade paintings on the streets. They posted pictures and a video of Jayshri on Facebook on January 17, appealing for help.

 

Jayshree claimed to be a 1991 alumni of IIT Kharagpur, and a resident of New Alipore in Kolkata. She later worked with IT giants like TCS, Cognizant and stayed in various cities in the US including California and San Francisco. In the video circulated on Facebook, Jayshri says ,”I am a software engineer. I worked for HCL and other companies.” And gave her number in US for anyone who has a job offering.

“We were not aware of her condition. We are shocked. Last time we spoke on September 2017. Will try and seek government help to bring her back if she wants to,” said Maitreyi Talapatra, Jayshri’s sister and a government employee living in Kolkata. Her calls to a number provided in the US went unanswered.

“We met her on the streets, while she was selling paintings. We spoke to her over one hour knowing she is an Indian and then she opened up. I asked her about what she was doing and I got a shock. We are trying to help her. She said she lost her passport and other IDs. She just had photo copies of her IDs. Without passport and IDs she will not get a place to stay on rent or insurance, medical benefits or even a job,” said Prabhat Page, who is based in Washington working in the field of hi-tech sales.

She told Page that she needs a job and an accommodation. “It looked like she is in stress for a long time. She told me she was doing well till 2014, after that life became a mess for her,” said Page. “She was sharing an apartment with some people one and half years back. She faced some harassment. She was looking for a job. She got an offer from Seattle and the contractor told her that she will get a job in two days. She moved to Seattle. But the interview it didn’t happen. She then lost her bag while travelling,” said Page.

“She told me people wanted her to go to a homeless shelter here. But she chose to live in a motel. She told us that she tried to contact her relatives in Kolkata, but they did not receive her calls. I called up her sister, who said she will try and help,”

Staying in US for around 18 years, she married in Washington and later got separated in 2006. Jayshri was seen seeking help on the streets, selling paintings and staying at a motel on daily basis. Her health condition has also deteriorated.


courtesy:Indian Express