R. Venkatasubramanian, 16, a student of Class 11 at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Puducherry, has been selected for the prestigious Rashtriya Bal Shakthi Puraskar award under the Scholastic category.
Venkatasubramanian, who was born with a congenital left limb, will receive his award from the President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi on January 22. He has been invited to participate in the Republic Day parade. The Bal Shakti Puraskar award includes a purse of ₹1 lakh, a tablet, a medal, a certificate and a citation. The Centre gives the award to children for exceptional merit in innovation, sports, arts, culture, social service and music, scholastic brilliance or other fields which deserve recognition.
Venkatasubramanian, who is a Commerce student, has been a multitalented since childhood, despite being differently-abled. He has been marching ahead in all the fields he has selected, including academics, sports and music.
His mother R. Jayapradha, a home maker, said that he had never let his disability deter him. “He had initially experienced difficulties in his road to success. He faced hurdles as several Abacus institutions in the city declined admission to him on the grounds of his disability and that he would not be able to go beyond two levels,” she said.
Venkatasubramanian got admitted in an institution and won the gold medal completing all the levels. Venkatasubramanian is also trained in yoga, karate and keyboard. He is training in badminton and his dream is to participate in the Paralympics, Jayapradha said.
