Her mobile phone has not stopped ringing ever since the SSLC results were released on Wednesday morning.
The reason is not far to seek: a score of 452 marks out of 500 in the examination. An excellent performance, considering the difficulties in learning the three Rs brought about by visual impairment and poor economic background.
Undeterred by the stumbling blocks, R. Kavya, a student of Government Higher Secondary School for Blind Girls at Puthur in Tiruchi, has come out with flying colours and made her parents proud.
Daughter of a roadside juice vendor, Kavya’s performance shows that she was in no way dispirited by her poverty in her aim to be an achiever.
A native of Namakkal district, her father Ramakrishnan (49) ekes out a living by selling sugarcane juice at a makeshift pavement shop in Kumarapalayam near Bhavani. With an average earning of ₹300-500 a day, he takes care of the family expenditure, including education, of his two daughters.
Kavya was born with visual impairment. Making her a role model is Ramakrishnan's dream. Her performance in SSLC examinations has now brightened his dream.
“We were initially shattered when Kavya was born with visual impairment. She has now become a symbol of hope. Her spirit, dedication and determination on studies will take her to new heights,” he gushed.
Kavya’s role model?
Beno Zephine, the first 100% visually impaired officer in the Indian Foreign Service. She too dreams of joining the Indian Administrative Service.
“I know pretty well that it is not easy to become an IAS officer. But the congratulatory messages and phone calls that I received today have become a tonic to pursue my goal with new vigour,” Kavya told The Hindu over phone.
Topped the list of around 90 visually impaired students from private and government institutions at a reading and writing Braille Tamil competition held in Chennai on January 4 is another feather in her cap.
