CHENNAI: As the oldest of four children born to farm labourers in Usilampatti, T Priyadarshini was asked to drop out of school to work in the fields to support the family.
But when the Class XII results came, she topped the school and got a scholarship to go to college. At 20, today Priyadarshini, a BA economics student was among the beneficiaries of a no-cost education programme by NGO Agni Siragugal Education Trust (ASET) who participated in Koodal 23, a celebration of such success stories in Chennai on Saturday.
"I thought I would end up a farm labour, but now I am all set to do a masters degree. I want to be an IAS officer," Priyadarshini told TOI. "Most students in villages don't realise the importance of higher studies. It is so important, especially for a woman to earn and have self-respect." Her father Thavamani, 47, said Priyadarshini has been an inspiration for his two younger daughters and a son.
ASET has provided scholarships to more than 2,500 top-scoring students with financially poor background. Prawin, 21, an engineering student at the event, said thanks to the support, he spends only 10,000 on his education, compared to ten times that amount spent by his college peers. "I want to be a cyber security analyst," said Prawin. Shirin Syed Abbas,19, a first year college student raised by a single mother, vowed to earn well to take care of his mother and younger sister.
Giving away ASET scholarships to 700 students at the function, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said society should create awareness on the opportunities such students have. "The government, under the 'Naan Mudhalvan' scheme, has been providing career guidance to students. Girl students from Class VI to Class XII are given 1,000 under the scheme. Extracurricular activities and talents in literature and arts should also be encouraged," said the minister.
A total of 700 students out of the 1,500 students present today were given scholarships for the upcoming academic year and today's event was an opportunity for those students to meet with the older students who had recieved scholarships during the previous years.
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