Sharma became Satyarthi at father-in-law's insistence

VIDISHA: Kailash Satyarthi's journey began in the crumbling walled city here, 50km from Bhopal. "Marriage was the turning point in his life," elder brother Jagmohan Sharma says. He is married into a family with Arya Samaj leanings. Kailash Sharma, a Brahmin, took the second name Satyarthi on his father-in-law's insistence.
Massive celebrations started outside Satyarthi's Vidisha home near the broken fort ramparts on Friday as news spread about him winning the Nobel honour. Children danced to drum beats outside his house. Satyarthi's niece, Pragya, said, "This is Diwali before Diwali."

His nephew, Pravesh, broke the news to the family on the phone around 2.30pm. Kailash went to Top Pura Middle School, Vidisha, and passed his higher secondary exam from the Jain Higher Secondary School. Later, he joined a local engineering college, Samrat Ashok Technology Institute, from where he earned his degree. Faced with bite-hungry TV reporters, Jagmohan said: "We're overwhelmed, have no words to explain our feelings. Kailash was never interested in electrical circuits. He had activism in his blood. I am a communist."

Kailash was a fiery debater and never missed competitions, his elder brother added. "He would always be disturbed when he spotted child labourers and had the burning fire in him to free them from bondage," his elder brother said.

"Kailash felt offended whenever he saw misuse of government machinery. In markets, if he found a government vehicle being used for private purpose, he'd snatch its keys from the driver and deposit it in a police station.