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Chapter 2: Plant response to elevated CO2 - DRUM - University of ...

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“Tarkala. How far is it form here?”<br />

“The school? Oh it is very far, Bén. You can’t walk through the forest in<br />

this darkness,” she replied. Then without any hesitation, “Stay over the night<br />

here, we will take you there <strong>to</strong>morrow; my father works at the school —he will<br />

take you there in the morning.”<br />

Megha nodded, she had been counting on staying overnight in the settlement.<br />

The girl held Megha’s hand, lead her in. “Coming from Eklavya? From<br />

Mumbai?” she asked, looking at Megha. Then, suddenly, she burst out laughing.<br />

It was a deep, happy laugh, boundless, illimitable.<br />

“Lot <strong>of</strong> your people come here, we know them, “she said. Operation<br />

Dang, nicknamed Operation Run‐for‐your‐life in <strong>of</strong>fice, was Ekalavya’s primary<br />

project and had taken them almost seven years, Megha had been informed in her<br />

month‐long training period. The statistics were impressive — a 47% rise in<br />

school enrollment, a 20% decline in school dropout rate and a proportional rise<br />

in school retention rates. These results, Megha had noticed, were mounted on<br />

plaques and displayed everywhere — in the conference room, the reception area,<br />

Mrs. Kadam’s cubicle and even in the johns, which she <strong>to</strong>ld all her friends when<br />

they called <strong>to</strong> catch up and inquire about her training period. The significance <strong>of</strong><br />

this project <strong>to</strong> the company wasn’t lost on her and she wanted <strong>to</strong> do well, <strong>to</strong><br />

49

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