MADURAI: Resilience triumphed in the Class 10 board examinations as two visually impaired students — B Akash of Madurai and M Nandesh of Theni — scored an impressive 471 out of 500.
Akash, a student of St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School for the Blind, hails from Ayyampatti in Dindigul. His mother, Kanimozhi, is a tailor and his father a labourer in a private mill. Following the Braille method and with help from teachers and peers who read lessons aloud, Akash has consistently ranked among the top three in his class.
“I studied in the hostel and made the best use of the study hours allotted. After Class 12, I wish to pursue BA English and prepare for the UPSC exam,” he told TNIE, expressing gratitude to his scribes, headmistress, teachers and parents.
Nandesh, a student of Bodinayakanur Municipality High School in Theni, topped his school and scored a centum in Social Science. His parents, Manikandan and Revathi, are daily wage labourers. Despite being born with a visual impairment, he studied using audio lessons on a mobile phone. “I want to crack the UPSC exam. I request Chief Minister M K Stalin to support my higher education,” he said.