The name Payal Kumari stood out when Mahatma Gandhi University released the list of toppers in the various undergraduate programmes on Thursday.
Born into a migrant worker family from Bihar, Payal stunned many after she came first in the BA Archaeology and History (Model 2) examination as a student of Mar Thoma College for Women, Perumbavoor. Pramod Kumar, her father, who had left Gosaimadhi village in Sheikhpura district of Bihar in 2001, has been settled in Ernakulam since 2011 as a manual labourer.
“This rank belongs to my father, who worked hard despite odds to see that my education was never disrupted. I am also thankful to my teachers, especially Bipin Sir of the History department for helping me sail through all challenges,” an elated Payal said in flawless Malayalam on Thursday.
Pramod Kumar, who had to drop out of school after Class 8, made sure that his children received proper education. He is now employed at a paint shop in the city. Their rented home at Kangarappady houses Payal’s mother Bindu Devi, a homemaker, and siblings Akash Kumar and Pallavi Kumari.
She had scored 83% marks in Class X and 95% in Plus Two as a student of Government Higher Secondary School, Edappally. Payal said that she would like to take up a postgraduate programme in Archaeology and History. “I have also plans to pursue Civil Services,” she said.
