In plain words
His name was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He was born into a poor family. Even getting through the day was hard for them. His mother would stitch old saris in rich people's houses and earn a little money, poor woman! If she made one roti, she would eat half of it herself and give half to her son. At times she would give all there was to her son and go hungry herself. In this way, with great hardship, she went on bringing up her son. At night there was no lamp in the house. So Vidyasagar used to sit by the street lamps and study. In this way, studying hard night and day, he completed his degree. At first he took up some small job. Mother and son went on living on the meagre salary he earned. After some time a promotion came to him in his job. His salary went up too. One day his mother put on an old sari and set out for the fair being held in that village. Seeing this, Vidyasagar was deeply pained: ‘Mother, today the whole village is celebrating the festival. Couldn't you too buy a good sari and wear it?’ he said. At once he went to the bazaar himself, bought a costly white sari and brought it home: ‘Mother, today put this on and go to the fair,’ he asked her. Then the mother: ‘Son! I have three wishes. Only after they are fulfilled will I wear this sari,’ she said. ‘What are those wishes, Mother?’ he asked. ‘Not now, son! When the time comes I will surely ask,’ she said. In time Vidyasagar rose to a still higher position. Then he said, ‘Mother! Now at least, tell me what your wishes are.’ ‘Son! Because there is not even one small school in our village, the children here go to the next village to study. So if you have a small school built right here in our village, I will be happy,’ she said. With the income that came to him, Vidyasagar had a small school built and arranged for the children of that village to be taught. ‘Mother! Are you happy today?’ he asked. ‘No, son! I still have two wishes,’ she said. Some time later: ‘Son! The people of our village are struggling with the want of drinking water.