Boy from weaving family wants big slice of Apple pie

CHENNAI: Naveen Kumar has a penchant for all things computers. From hardware to software, everything about the world of technology interests the teenager who picked computer science engineering at the first round of TNEA general counselling on Sunday. Unlike his peers, who secured the

CSE

programme at College of Engineering, Naveen's dream of becoming a programmer or an entrepreneur is unknown territory for his family . He is the first engineering student in his family of weavers in Vengamedu in Karur.

And despite the struggle of growing up with a single parent, Naveen has grand plans. “It's time for another Indian to join the league of tech giants.

Microsoft

and Google already have Indians at the helm, now it's Apple's turn I have my sights set on it,“ he quips. Ambitious as it is, it doesn't sound daunting to the 18-year-old, who aced his Class XII boards with double centums in physics and mathematics, without the fuss of tuitions or the strain of extra study hours.

Naveen also wrote NEET this year, but only to test the waters. “I gave the exam to see where I stand.

There was no way I wasn't picking computer science,“ he says. But perhaps what sets him apart is the number of obstacles he had overcome to get to this point, which includes switching from Tamil medium to English with elan as late as high school. “My father is so happy I made it,“ he says in fluent English.