Disability Students Also Big Achievers in II PUC Exams, Including Arjun of St Aloysius

By
Alfie Dsouza, Team Mangalorean.
-
Spread the love

Disability Students Also Big Achievers in II PUC Exams, Including Arjun of St Aloysius

Disability Students Also Big Achievers in II PUC Exams, Including Arjun Adyanthaya of St Aloysius PUC-Mangaluru, who scored 78%, appearing for the exam on his wheelchair, since he suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic disorder that results in fragile bones.

Mangaluru: Amidst big achievers among physically fit students who fared well in the II PUC exams recently, there were a few physically challenged students who also achieved big success in their exams. Even though for these physically disabled students, who are unable to walk or hold a pen but their determination and strong will have proven what they deserved and has brought immense joy inn their lives.

To name a few physically challenged students of II PUC who fared well in the Exams are Arjun Adyanthaya of St Aloysius PUC-Mangaluru with 78%, scoring 390 out of 500; and brother and sister duo Prajwal and Prathiksha respectively from Udupi, who scored 51% and 49% respectively. Bringing about a change in callous attitudes may take some time, but till then reservation empowers the physically challenged not just in their profession but also in their lives. What it establishes is a precedent and more than one role model. In these few case, we have these three as role models and inspiration to other students that in spite of them being physically-challenged, they were all very much determined and committed to answer their II PU exams exams.

With Determination and Strong Will, Physically Challenged St Aloysius Pre-University Lad Arjun Adyanthaya wrote his II PU Board Exam at Canara PU College-Mangaluru in March this year. Arjun suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic disorder that results in fragile bones, due to which he had to take the help of his neighbor in answering his exam papers. Arjun’s disability, which he got affected with when he was six months old- and added to that he is yet to recover from the hand fracture from a freak accident a year ago, in spite of that, he has never given up hopes, he is always smiling and looking forward for better days to come in his life. {Complete life story of Arjun, please refer to the earlier articles by clicking on the links at the end of this report}

For thousands of nervous students frowned over dog-eared textbooks minutes prior to the state board’s PUC II Year exam, but for 19-year-old St Aloysius PU college-Mangaluru, Arjun Adyanthaya there was a bigger test to pass. After all, dictating answers you cannot write yourself because of a raw pain shooting up from a broken leg doesn’t make for the best circumstance to work out derivations or calculate accountancy numbers. But he did it through sheer force of will and determination, with the help from a good Samaritan Rashmi Mallya- a BBA-LLB student at SDM College, and also a neighbour in the apartment where Arjun lives, who volunteered to be the scribe. Even though being a student of St Aloysius PUC, Arjun had to appear for his II PU exam at Canara PU College, since the Exam board had changed the rules, that students of the same college can’t write their exams at the same college.

And of the 38,633 students that appeared for the II PU board examinations in Dakshina Kannada in March 2018, Arjun Adyanthaya, the physically-challenged student from St Aloysius PUC was one among them, who answered five papers, excluding Kannada which was optional for him. His determination and smartness resulted in big achievement, where Arjun scored 75 marks in Computer Science; 67 in Economics; 90 in Business Studies; 83 in accountancy; and 75 in English, adding to 390 out of 500, with 78% score.

Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Arjun said, ” First of all I owe my heartfelt thanks to my Alma Mater, St Aloysius PU College, for giving me the full support and encouragement. My aim was to become an automobile engineer, but due to my physical disabilities, where I can’t stand for long hours, during the practical classes, I took up computer science in commerce. I want to focus on computers, so I will be taking up Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA) course at St Aloysius College. I have already been selected by the College, and I am thankful to Fr Praveen Martis Sj for the B Com seat at St Aloysius College {Autonomous}. I am also thankful to the PU exam board for relaxing the exam rules for me, and also allowing me to skip the language {Kannada} exam, apart from appearing the other four core subjects namely- Computer Science, Business Studies, Accountancy and Economics.”

“This achievement in II PU exams is special for me and I am elated. I think my hard work, determination, concentration, strong will and commitment are the secrets to my success. I attribute my success to my college principal Fr Melwin Mendonca Sj, who has always been by my side, and also the teachers, staff besides my parents and friends. Special thanks to my scribe Rashmi Mallya for helping me answer my exams. Besides imparting us valuable lessons, my teachers had provided me notes which helped me score well. Right now I don’t have any ambition, let me complete my graduation and only after that I will decide on my future. A big and tons of thanks to everyone who had been part of my life so far, and I also look forward for their support in future too. Not to forget my parents, they have been my supporting pillars, and I owe my humble gratitude to them. Please remember me in your prayers for my good health” added Arjun.

Also speaking Arjun’s father, Bhagwandas Adyanthaya, who works as an executive at Gurudev Plastics Ltd, with his wife Vanitha (a housewife) besides him said, ” On the outset we want to thank the Principal of St Aloysius PUC Fr Melwyn Mendonca Sj and the staff for their unstinted support- they all have been kind and nice to my son, and I am very grateful to them. We are happy for our son, whose hard work and determination has paid off. We won’t let him down, and we are ready to to any extent to ensure that he has a bright future in spite of his disabilities. Also thank everyone who has been very supportive towards our son, and also the media specially”.

St Aloysius PU College Principal Fr Melwyn Mendonca Sj speaking said, ” Being a very bright and intelligent student always, it is nice to note that Arjun has scored 78% in II PUC exams. He has indeed made us and the institution proud through this big achievement even though being physically challenged. The college had done everything to support him academically. Arjun has been regular to class and has always answered the exams on his own- but due to his injuries he had to take the help of a scribe. He was very good at studies, and his presence in the class was an inspiration to other students. When Arjun said he would take up the final II PU exams with the rest of the students, we could not refuse the enthusiastic and determined young boy, even though he could not sit in a chair. But his efforts and hard work has paid off. Now that he is joining our St Aloysius College {Autonomous} for his B Com studies, we the Jesuit priests will see that he taken good care of, in his academics and personal life”

Congratulations to Arjun Adyanthaya from Team Mangalorean.

Physically Challenged Brother and Sister Duo Prajwal {21} and Prathiksha {19} respectively from Udupi are also Top Achievers in II PUC Exams

And here we have yet another duo achievers being physically challenged have achieved great success in II PUC exams. And they are brother and sister duo, Prajwal, 21, and Pratiksha, 19, respectively, hailing from Bergagudda, Nitte village, Udupi, who in spite of their disabilities, where both of them cannot move their body below the waist which is in motionless condition, had appeared for the II PUC exams and have secured 51% and 49% respectively in the II PU exams. They are the children of Shekhar Salian and Jyothi Salian.

Due to their disabilities both siblings had taken help from their teachers and they learned their subjects at home itself, with teachers visiting them at their house to help them out. While Prajwal had scored 40 in Kannada, 44 in English, 60 in History, 50 in Economics, 61 in Sociology and 53 in Political Science; his sister Prathiksha had scored 50 in Kannada, 46 in English, 61 in History, 35 in Economics, 50 in Sociology and 52 in Political Science. Not just in PUC, both brother and sister had scored high marks in their SSLC exams, where Prajwal had scored 70% and Parthiksha had scored 68%.

Among the many friends who helped these two in their learning, are a few Good Samaritans namely Ganesh, their neighbor, who is a teacher at Govt School Nitte, who taught them Economics, Sociology and English; and also other two neighbors, Akshatha and Rajani, taught them History, Kannada and Sociology too. Prajwal and Prathiksha appeared for their exams at Karkala Board High School in two different rooms to write their exams, taking help from friends. They were given an extra hour since the answers had to be dictated by the duo to their helpers.

Sources reveal that Manjunath Kamath, a journalism lecturer at a College inn Udupi had made a documentary on the duo and since it was widely circulated in social media, nearly Rs 11 lakhs was collected from donors. Speaking to Team Mangalorean over the phone, duo’s father Shekhar Salian said, “We are extremely happy for our children, whose hard work has paid off. Due to their disabilities they both couldn’t attend school or college were taught at home by teachers and other good people. Both have weak muscles and underwent physical therapy for three years. However, due to financial constraints, the treatment had to be discontinued. Their ambition is to pursue computer science and even hope to write the IAS exam in future. We are ready to go to any extent to ensure our children have a bright future.”

Congratulations to Prajwal and Prathiksha from Team Mangalorean


Spread the love