CHENNAI: The trauma of his mother’s suicide and years of neglect by his father are no deterrent to 15-year-old B Sudharshan. In fact, the trials and tribulations have added to his determination to excel in life, as the inmate of a corporation-run shelter home in Thiruvanmiyur has scored an emphatic 462/500 (92.4%) in the Class 10 board examination.
Three years have passed since Sudharshan made the decision to walk away from his home, deeply traumatised by the suicide of his mother in 2019 and the subsequent neglect by his alcoholic father. “My aunt took in my sister after our mother passed away, but I was left with my father, who didn’t care for me,” Sudharshan recalled.
The burden of loss and the absence of a caring environment pushed him to the streets. Rescued by his aunt, Sudharshan was admitted to Chennai corporation’s homeless shelter for children, managed by Jeeva Jyothi Children’s Home, an NGO.
“In the beginning, Sudharshan had struggled to cope with his past and isolated himself from everyone else. But with regular therapy and support, he has come a long way now,” said Nandhakumar, the shelter coordinator.
Having studied in a private school with a scholarship since Class 6, he is now weighing options to either pursue a career in software engineering or medicine.
(If you have suicidal thoughts, call helpline at 104 or Sneha helpline 044 24640050/ 24640060)