VILLUPURAM: Grief-stricken, S Anita from Karuvepillaipalayam near Thiruvennainallur Taluk appeared for her class 12 examinations on March 5, the day of her father's funeral. Not even 24 hours had passed since the girl lost her father, a 54-year-old chilli vendor, in a road accident, the very night before her English examination.
A show of resilience, Anita kept on, to fulfil her father's dreams, attempted her board examinations and scored 85% -- 514 marks out of 600. "If my dad was alive, he would have made sure I joined the college, as he did for all four of my sisters," she told TNIE. She expressed her desire to pursue a career in Chartered Accountancy, however, the family could not afford to pay for her undergraduate course. "My mother is unable to source the money required," said Anita, a student from Saravanambakkam Government Higher Secondary School.
Anita's father, M Subrayalu (51), made money by selling red pepper, carrying bags of it on his bicycle. On March 4, as he was crossing the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway near Siruthanur, a car en route to Chennai reportedly struck him fatally, said the police. He is survived by his wife Kuppammal and five daughters, two of whom are married. Anita said her father had dreamt of making her a police officer. Anita, as a last resort, has now sought the assistance of the district administration and the state government to pursue her higher education.