MAYILADUTHURAI: Orphaned when she was only weeks old, Lakshmi dodged her way through obstacles. Born without hands, she grew up at Arivagam Kuzhanthaigal Illam near Mayiladuthurai. On Monday, she accomplished a feat - she passed the Class 12 examinations.
Lakshmi scored 277 marks out of a total 500. She got 64 marks in Tamil, 70 in history, 50 in economics, 56 in commerce and 37 in accountancy. Opting out of the English language exam under PWD privileges, she secured a 'pass' in it by default.
Praising her strong spirit over the years, JK Renuka, superintendent of the Illam, said, "Having stayed here for the past 17 years, Lakshmi grew up to be a resilient person, learning life skills and nurturing her talents. "
Thankful for the support she received, Lakshmi told TNIE, "I thank my teachers and guardians who encouraged me and helped me succeed. I want to be an artist. I am confident of succeeding in life." She did her initial schooling at Thambiku Nallan Pattinam Nursery School and went on to study at Government Girls Higher Secondary School near Dharmapuram.
Lakshmi uses her left foot to write and draw paintings, and take notes in classes. She practises folk dance as well. During the public examination, Lakshmi dictated answers to the teachers who wrote it down for her.