GOGHAT (HOOGHLY): In the quaint village of Agai in Goghat in Bengal’s Hooghly district, dignity has found its way home for 22-year-old Shikha, sister of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) 16 contestant Jayanta Duley. For years, she had been enduring the embarrassment of bathing in the village pond. Duley’s home lacked a bathroom, forcing his mother, Rupa, and sister to bathe in the open. But the daily struggles of Rupa and Sikha have finally come to an end as they now have a washroom at home. Its wall has been engraved with the phrase: “gifted by Mr Amitabh Bachchan.”A year after Duley—adjudged the winner of the first week of KBC’s Season 16 in 2024—had shared this ordeal in an episode of the quiz contest with its host, Amitabh Bachchan, the Bollywood actor kept the promise to build a bathroom for Duley’s family. When Duley—a guest lecturer at Swami Vivekananda College of Education in Goghat near Kamarpukur had— shared his story with Bachchan on the show, the actor was moved by the narrative. The episode aired on Aug 16, 2024.While Bollywood has produced films like ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ highlighting the dire need for improving the sanitation conditions in India, this is the first instance of any effort made from the world of glamour and glitz to help address a similar issue on ground reality. “Regardless of the outcome of this game, I will ensure a bathroom is built at your home, at my own expense,” Bachchan had assured him.Duley took home a prize of Rs 12.5 lakh from the reality game show. However, the real reward for him was when ‘Big B’ kept his promise this Oct and sent Rs 2 lakh to Duley’s account. With this generous contribution, Bachchan ensured the construction of a much-needed bathroom for the family. Shikha called it a gesture to preserve the dignity of women. “I have completed my master’s in Bengali from Burdwan University and am waiting to secure my admission in D.El.Ed (Diploma in Elementary Education) course. It was highly embarrassing for a woman of my age to avoid prying eyes and take a bath in the village pond regularly,” she recalled.“This personal gesture of Amitabh Bachchan to provide financial assistance to our family shows his deep respect for women. His gesture is not just about building a toilet; it is about protecting our dignity too. We remain forever indebted to him,” she added. “Meeting Amitabh Bachchan was my dream, and it has come true. What he has done for our family is beyond a dream,” said Duley. His father, Bhadu Duley, also expressed his gratitude to the actor.