India, Aug. 31 -- At 31, Suraj Madan carries two worlds on his shoulders -- the weight of his dreams and aspirations of his community. A resident of Keligavhan, a village in Jalna, Suraj's academic accomplishments are a mark of resilience and determination - a bright student of science in school, he is studying law and is a social activist. "I wanted to become an engineer. I scored 80% in Class 12, cleared the engineering entrance exam, but I couldn't afford admission to a government college," he said. "My father tried his best, but we simply didn't have enough." Suraj's family lives off a small patch of farmland. The family has subsisted on little money. Thereafter, he enrolled for a degree in Political Science at Savitribai Phule Pune University, where securing accommodation in the hostel became a challenge. "I didn't get a seat in the social welfare hostel because I didn't have a reservation," he said. While his friends lived in subsidised hostels, Suraj paid nearly Rs.8,000 a month for basic needs, until on "one vacation I saw my parents struggling to send me money, which broke me". He took up small jobs at local supermarkets to pay off some of his own bills. However, after graduation, when he failed to clear various competitive exams for government service, he returned to his farm, crestfallen. In that phase, Suraj discovered old records showing his community listed as an OBC. Aided by these documents at home, he secured a caste certificate, took the entrance exam for law and earned a seat at reputed a college in Jalna. "That is when I understood what reservation really means," he said. "It gave me the opportunity I had been denied for years." Now, at the forefront of the protests, he said, "I am here not for Mumbai darshan. I am here for my people, our right to education and dignity." Villagers pooled Rs.60,000, which Suraj and others from the village who are participating in the ongoing protests, have used to rent trucks and buy ration. "The stakes are high. This fight is bigger than me," he said....