CHENNAI: WHEN on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, C Margaret, an English teacher at Little Flowers Convent School for Blind and Deaf, remarked “Literature is not about books but of life’s experiences,” her student S Sandhya nodded her head instantly.
It is understandable why Sandhya, keen to pursue a B A in English Literature, lent her approval to the statement. It made sense, especially on a day when she defied all odds. By securing 1140 marks in the Plus Two examination, she bagged the second rank among all visually challenged students in the State.
After a long search for a right school, Sandhya’s parents were led to Little Flowers Convent all the way from their native Tenali in Andhra Pradesh. When she joined at the convent, she did not know a word in Tamil. Sandhya’s achievement is therefore all the more impressive as she gave her examinations in Tamil medium.
With her parents deciding to stay back in Tenali, it fell upon Sandhya’s grandmother S Susheela to take care of the young girl. “There was no school in Tenali or its surroundings which would cater to Sandhya’s needs. Hence, we decided to move to Chennai,” says a proud grandmother.
Susheela adds, “Right from a young age, she was determined and a strong young lady despite suffering from 70 per cent visual impairment.”
Her strong character became apparent when she said to Express that “A person becomes disabled only if he or she loses confidence. I have not.”
Out of 21 visually challenged students at the convent who gave the examination, 10 have scored more than 1000 marks.