I'm a little late in posting about this – a village labourer from Andhra Pradesh, Narasimha Rao, has secured the 453rd rank in the IIT Entrance exams. Watch this video to know more (original youtube link here)
This is yet another instance of students from the Indian hinterland beating all odds to prove themselves in one of the toughest technical exams ever. Last year, I had written about a college which made IITians out of cattle-grazers. And now this.
Goes to show two things:
One: How much talent and determination rural India bundles.
Two: How important it is to encourage such people and revamp the education system such that mindless “coaching” and “tuition” culture makes way for more sensible and practical approaches.
The video says that Narasimha's battle is only half-won. He still needs money to even travel to the counseling, and needs to supplement the family income.
All I can hope for is that such talent doesn't go waste and that Narasimha makes it to IIT and proceeds to serve the country in his chosen field. We all need such examples of hope and inspiration every now and then to prove what difference determination can make.
Amazing!!! Best wishes to this young boy!! I hope he finds the financial support he needs and I wish I could send it to him somehow... but I have no doubt that he must have received more than one offer by now.
God bless him, he sounds so confident and yet so humble despite this amazing success! I agree with you Kiran there must be many more Narsimhas in our villages, I just hope our RTE Act is able to provide some support to each one them.
I also feel if we were organised - then a lot of people would be glad to support the education of a child, very gladly... mostly one isn't sure where and how to contribute and be sure the money is going to the child.
It is heartening to see that a boy from such difficult conditions cracked the JEE. I do not think coaching and tuition is mindless. It supplements school teaching and may be necessary.
However, I do hope the governments opens more quality institutions so that those with less resources do not stay behind.
@IHM: I saw a few comments on the youtube link by people who were interested in helping but did not know how to go about. You definitely make a valid point about the need for efficient organisation as far as "charity" goes. Fodder for a blog post! (or maybe you should do one on this topic :)
This instance also shows the importance of the RTE act as you pointed out. Implementation, of course, will be an altogether different matter.
Mainak: You are absolutely right about the need for coaching. I apologise for making it sound like all coaching institutes are useless. I waas targetting the countless spurious institutes ibstead - ones which are good only at fleecing the aspirants.
And you bring up yet another relevant point - the need for Government to open up more such quality institutes which cater to the economically weaker sections.
Found this in yahoo group...
If you want to help Narasimha Rao, write to him at the below mentioned address:
Narasimha Rao Maganti
S/O Appaiah
Garikapadu Post and Village
Wyra Mandal, Khammam District
Andhra Pradesh - 507165
Or you can call him- Mobile No. 9347948136. This number belongs to A Prasad, a resident of the same village.
For online transfer of money - Narasimha Rao Maganti, Account number - 62060623105, SBH, Wyra Branch, Khammam district, AP.
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Swadeswethepeople/message/4173?var=0
Just did some research and found that this is old news and his studies expenses are already taken care... http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/10/stories/2008061058530200.htm