“I want my father to retire and enjoy the rest of his life peacefully as I can now take care of him and the family,” said young Prema Jayakumar, daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver, here on Saturday. Prema hit the headlines recently by surmounting many odds to emerge as the topper in the 2012 All-India Chartered Accountancy Examination.
Motivating other students like her, she said: “Nothing is impossible. Self-confidence, hard work and dedication are the keys to achieve success.”
Prema (25), who hails from Malad, Mumbai, was felicitated on Saturday with an award of Rs.1 lakh by Jyotrimoy School of Law, a private institute of the State.
Speaking about her objective in life, Prema said: “My aim is to earn respect in every work I indulge myself in and to work with dedication and honesty.”
Describing her examination result as a “lifetime achievement” for her, she said: “My success is not only due to my hard work but also due to the constant guidance and motivation from my parents and teachers.”
Her father is a Class VIII dropout whereas her mother, who used to work as a domestic help until a few years ago, studied only until Class III. Despite a low family income and several hardships, they ensured that their daughter pursued higher studies.
Topping the CA exam was a reward for her parents’ hard work, she said, since she and her brother had earned respect in the eyes of society for their parents. “As me and my brother are the first generation of our family to receive quality education, we have made our parents very proud,” she added.
