MYSURU: At the age of two, she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, an eye condition resulting in the loss of vision. However, this did not dampen Kavya S Bhat's dream to complete her higher education.
She was the cynosure of all eyes at the University of Mysore's centenary convocation on Monday when she climbed the stage to receive two gold medals and two cash prizes for scoring the highest marks in MA (Political Science).
Like many of other specially-abled children, she completed her schooling in a blind school and graduated from Bengaluru. She relied on her parents, Srinivas Bhat and Ravikala Bhat, who helped her all through the wy.
She then joined the University of Mysore for a PG programme. However, she hit a hurdle when several faculty members opposed her decision to take computerized exams here but she did not lose hope. She managed to appear for a computerized exam in all four-semester exams.
This also makes her the first person from the varsity to give computerized exams without the aid scribes. "I wanted to write the exam myself. So I requested a computerised exam for all four-semesters," she said.
Kavya has studied carnatic music besides learning the keyboard, but since she wanted to become a teacher so she gave NET and cleared it with flying colours. Kavya said, "My father actually wanted me to have a career in the field of music. Though I love music, I wanted to prove myself and wanted to take up the teaching profession which made me choose this."
When asked about how she accomplished this feat, she said, "Even we want to be more independent and that makes us find perfection in everything we do. This compulsion is what helped me accomplish this feat."
She further added, "There will be people to support as well as oppose each of our decisions, but one must be strong to decide what they want." Despite reaching her goal, she was still not very happy as two weeks ago her father passed away and couldn't see her getting the medal.