Twelve-year-old Bharti Kumari of Kusumbhara village of Bihar's Rohtas District has made her fellow villagers proud by becoming a teacher to other Dalit children.

A girl of the marginalized Dalit community, Bharti studies in the second standard; despite that, she has taken it upon herself to educate children of Dalit families of Kusumbhara village.

Bharti goes to her school, several kilometers away every day. When returns, her students congregate under a Peepal (Ficus) tree to be taught by her.

"I call everybody from their home and make them study with me. I cross two rivers and go to my school. My mother has died and I only have my father with me," said Bharti.harti's own teachers are all praise for her intelligence and drive in educating children of the village.