This is Kartik. As is quite evident from my few previous mails, I want to take up PCM in class XI. However, I am currently facing many such hurdles. Can I get the contact No. of Srikant so that I can have a word with him. Your earliest response will be appreciated.
On 6/16/10, Swasti Mathur <[email protected]> wrote: > hi > hats off to The Srikant. he is a source of inspiration to hundreds and > thousands of future students who want to opt for PCM but step back due > to pulling by the society and many other circumstances acting like > non-avalibility of study material. really this boy is geneous. > may he climb the laddar of success throughout his life. waiting for a > chance to meet such a brilient guy! and exchange few words. > regards Swasti > > yogesh dubey wrote: >> Bolla Srikanth, a visually-challenged boy, is currently pursuing his >> Bachelor of Sciences at the varsity, says YOGENDRA KALAVALAPALLI >> >> - PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL >> >> Winner: Bolla Srikanth in conversation with National Trust Chairperson >> Poonam Natarajan during the inaugural function of Abilities Mela 2010 >> in Secunderabad. >> >> >> Bolla Srikanth was barely few years old when many in his community >> counselled his parents to abandon him. The pressure was heavy on his >> illiterate parents, >> a farmer father and housewife mother, but they never yielded. Had they >> heeded their advice, the world would have been minus one inspiring >> story today. >> >> >From a small village Sitaramapuram near Machlipatnam town in Krishna >> district, this visually-challenged boy has made it to the portals of >> the prestigious >> Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. The 18-year-old is >> currently pursuing his Bachelor of Sciences in Brain and Cognitive >> Science, Business Management >> and Computer Science at the varsity. >> >> “Though they are illiterate, both of them, they had strong will to get >> me educated. This inspired me,” he says. Shortly after, about 13 years >> ago, an uncle >> of his enrolled him in Devnar School for the Blind in Hyderabad, and >> life took a different spin for Srikanth. >> >> “I didn't know anything when I joined school. I was like a rural >> introvert. I learned everything, I picked up English. I joined >> community service. Now, >> I have occupied a place in the society where people are respecting >> me,” he says, “It has been a long journey.” >> >> >From being a “rural introvert”, Srikanth went on to secure 92 per cent >> in the Class 10 Board Examinations and was a two-time recipient of >> Pratibha Awards >> given by the Andhra Pradesh State government for students who excel in >> public examinations every year. >> >> He also received a citation for outstanding community service as Youth >> Leader in Lead India 2020 from former President APJ Abdul Kalam and >> was a national >> chess player playing against the likes of Koneru Humpy. >> >> Intermediate was next and he wanted to take up Maths, Physics, >> Chemistry (MPC) stream to be eligible to study engineering. But a >> disinclined officialdom >> was not encouraging. “When I visited the offices for the first time, >> they said get away from here. Even an IAS officer was not able to >> realise the potential >> of blind persons,” he recollects. >> >> “After a lot of trouble,” Srikanth finally managed to enrol himself >> for MPC stream at a private college, a good three months after the >> classes began. He >> went on to secure an aggregate percentage of 93 at the end of two years. >> >> Challenges persisted still. “When I wanted to prepare for IIT, one >> coaching centre told me straightaway I was not fit to join them.” >> Another top institute >> in the country did not even bother to respond to his application. “I >> didn't even get my hall ticket. I was not even allowed to write AIEEE. >> But, I was >> not disturbed because I was focussed on my goal and I wanted to study >> Sciences.” >> >> Guided by his mentors Swarnalatha, teacher at Devnar School for the >> Blind and G. Ravishankar, a software consultant in the US, Srikanth >> realised his ambition >> of studying at MIT. “Only 120 seats are open for international >> students for which students from 70 countries in the world fight,” he >> says proudly of his >> admission that came with a US $49,000 scholarship. >> >> “My mentor Swarnalatha was like a backbone to me in whatever I did so >> far. She has worked harder than me.” She was by his side throughout: >> fighting for >> him, managing his study expenses, recording material for him to study >> easily and even lodging him in her house during initial days of his >> Intermediate. >> >> Mr. Ravishankar, whom Srikanth met during an international conference >> at Indian School of Business, helped him apply to different >> universities abroad. “Because >> I was a special student, we had to fill up some special forms. He also >> worked really hard with me for six months. Even now he is in contact >> and helps me >> with whatever I want.” >> >> Persons with disabilities, he says, suffer from lack of exposure and >> lack of opportunities. “You have to see where you stand in the >> society, not as a visually-challenged >> person but as a human being.” He sings paeans about U.S. “The >> University is very helpful. They have so many resources. People don't >> show sympathy there. >> In fact they provide you opportunities.” He has already finished two >> semesters at the university (scoring 5/5 GPA) and currently is >> interning with GE in >> Hyderabad. >> >> Srikanth is keen on entrepreneurship and plans to launch a software >> firm after his course where he wants to give opportunities to rural >> youth. “My life >> ambition is to become the president of India,” he declares. Given the >> flak he has received so far and the grit with which he has overcome >> them all, don't >> dismiss him. Not yet, not so fast! >> >> >> > > > Voice your thoughts in the blog to discuss the Rights of persons with > disability bill at: > http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/blog.htm > > To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with > the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > Voice your thoughts in the blog to discuss the Rights of persons with disability bill at: http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/blog.htm To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
