MALKANGIRI: Malkangiri district collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay met the first Didyai community girl Champa Raspeda who cracked NEET at remote Amblibeda village in Nakamamudi panchayat under Korukonda block on Wednesday.
Accompanied by officials, the collector travelled 85 km from Malkangiri town before trekking half a kilometer on muddy roads to reach Champa’s asbestos house where she lives with her parents. He interacted with her about her schooling and journey to crack the NEET while living in a remote area and presented her with a mobile phone.
He also handed her a cheque of Rs 30,000 from the chief minister’s relief fund to help meet her expenses for purchase of medical books.
“It was inspiring and a proud moment for me to meet this NEET achiever. Despite living in a remote village far from district headquarters, cracking NEET shows her strong determination and talent,” said the collector.
Attributing her success in the entrance test due to government programmes as she was studying in the ST & SC Development run residential school at Chitrakonda, he assured that further care will be taken to ensure Champa gets all government facilities and no hurdles impede her course.
Daughter of a poor farmer Lachhmu Raspeda, Champa secured admission to Fakir Mohan Medical College in Balasore after clearing NEET in her first attempt.
She completed her primary education at Nandiniguda SSD Educational Complex, HSC from Government Girls High School in Chitrakonda in 2019 and plus two science from Higher Secondary SSD School in Govindpalli.