Teen born and grew up in Kamathipura, faced poverty and sexual abuse, win scholarship to study in New York

  

Shweta Katti, 18, who grew up in Mumbai’s red-light area won a scholarship to study in New York.

She faced poverty and sexual abuse in her childhood and had left for America to study psychology at the liberal arts Bard College on Thursday.

Shweta, herself was sexually abused when she was just 11 years of age.

Shweta explained her life at the brothel as, “You would see everyday someone beating up a woman, the police coming unexpectedly at anytime, and women selling their bodies.

"Men would ask to sleep with me, it was so embarrassing, but I had to face it. My father abused me, many people abused me”, she added.

She credits her mother, a factory worker, as her "inspiration" and says the local charity Kranti - meaning "revolution" in Hindi - also played a vital role in helping her achieve her dreams.

Katti wants to return to India and help other young women in her community.

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