WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020
Dalit girl from Anithas native
village to pursue medical course
Private sponsor to fund her education in the Phillipines
R. RAJARAM
TIRUCHI
Three years after S. Anitha of
Kuzhumur in Ariyalur dis
trict ended her life, unable
to get an MBBS seat through
the National Eligibility- cum
Entrance Test (NEET), the
dream of another girl hailing
from the village of studying
medicine has become
reality.
Daughter of daly wage
earners Shankar and Dhana-
lakshmi, S. Soundarya, will
fy to the Philippines to pur
sue medical education, free district. Social worker S.A. Manirathnam is also seen.
of cost, at the Davao Medical
Education School Founda-
tion, thanks to a private
sponsor. Besides the expen-
diture for her education, her
boarding, food and tran-
sport expenses during the
period of her study will be
Sponsored by ,Transworld
Educare Private Limited.
Soundarya's ambition to
become a doctor came to be
known to Anitha's brother
S.A Manirathnam, who is
running a charitabletrustin
of his sister at the
memory
village.
The medical institute's
ofhce at Mahabalipuram
near Chennai, which wanted
to help a poor
girl pursue
medicine in memory of
Anitha, got in touch with
me: That was when I
them about Soundarya's am
bition and her poor econom
ic background," said Mr. Má
nirathnam, managing
a
S. Soundarya (right) receiving the certificate for pursuing
medical education free of cost at Kuzhumur village in Ariyalur
trustee of Dr. Anitha Memo tronics engineering ata priv-
rial Charitable Trust.
A representative from the
institute in Chennaicame to
Kuzhumur a few days ago
and interacted with Mr. Ma
nirathnam and Ms. Soun-
to ascertain the gir!'s
darya
wish.
Ms. Soundarya, whÍ had
tompleted Plus Two in a
higher secondary school at
Kuzhumur with 410 out of
600 marks, said she was
sceptical about her chance
of studying medicine owing
to her economic back
ground and she might be at a
disadvantage because of the
NEET.
Soundarya's family runs
on the wages earned by her
told parents and her elder broth
e, who works in Chennai as
a labourer after completing
Plus Two. Her elder sister is
pursuing electrical and elec-
ate college near Tiruchi.
"I had almost decided to
take up law or some other
degree course when this op-
portunity came knocking at
my door," she said, thanking
Mr. Manirathnam for the
help and motivation.
"I see an Anitha in Soun
darya and want her dream
of becomingadoctor is real
ised," Mr. Manirathnam said.
A Free Education Certih-
cate' from David K Pillai,
founder and CE0, Tran-
sworld Educare Private Li
mited, was handed over to
Ms. Soundarya a few days
ago. Mr. Manirathnam said
the trust that he runs has
been extending financial
support to a girl student
from Jayamkondam in Ariya-
lur district, who is studying
medicine, and to a few oth
ers.
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motivaion to all stulents.

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Stop Tyng
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the best Lampla tor
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womarn

ime Pnitha's decision isn't

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way 1s
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Than oals
grOw up
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opimistic of yon& ThoughE.

*So b
hen ouA den't lose youY hope.