SRIKAKULAM: A 14-year-old girl who was rescued by Child Protection officials from marriage has set a good example by securing 10 GPA points in SSC and getting selected for IIIT. The girl, B Ramanamma, a resident of Kunchala Kuravayyapeta of Etcherla mandal, had been forced to get married by her parents when she was in Class IX.
Just one week before the date fixed for her wedding, the girl managed to contact Childline officials with the help of her class teacher. Child Protection officials rushed to her village and stopped the wedding after counselling her parents.
The couple, however, kept urging her to get married as their financial condition was not stable, following which Child Protection officials shifted the girl to a hostel in summer. “My parents told me about my wedding just a week before the fixed date. They ignored village heads and other educated people when they asked that I be allowed to study.
As I had no alternative, I lodged a complaint with Child Protection officials with the support of my teacher Chamundeswari,” Ramanamma said. “The officials stopped the marriage. It is to stop my parents from pestering me that I focused on studies and tried my best to get good grades. As I got 10 GPA points, I was selected for IIIT,” Ramanamma told TNIE, adding that se wants to become an electrical engineer. Officials said the girl had set a good example by resisting early marriage and chasing her dreams.