Gritty kids swim against tide to taste success

By- Sushanto Bose
School: Birla Bharati School Score: 84.2%
Sushanto’s battle in life started early when he lost his father when he was a child. Years later, he was detected with transverse miyelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord which restricted his movement and the ability to grip pencil. But with vigorous physiotherapy and sheer determination, he vows to overcame all barriers and touch the sky.
“It was first detected when he was in Class IV.It is a neurological problem and the body becomes stiff and comes under paralytic attack,” said his mother Barnali. There is no medicine and Sushanto undergoes physiotherapy. He was bed-ridden for first eight months. He went to his school for the exam after a year. Initially, his limbs were not working. He can hold a pen now but struggles to write. As a result, his writing speed is less and he takes longer to complete answering question papers. Sushanto will now study commerce in plus-two.
Anisha Bhowmick School: South Point High School Score: 80%
Anisha is suffering from vasovagal attack. Blackouts are her constant compan ion. “Her oxygen supply to the brain is less than what is required. She can’t stand for long. She received treatment at NIMHANS in Bengaluru and was later referred to another hospital. She underwent several tests but the doctors said there is no medicine to cure her,” rued her mother Sharmistha, a resident of New Garia.
Often, Anisha remains drowsy for three days or at times even more, but the brave girl from South Point High School has overcome all odds. “We didn’t put pressure on her at all. If she complained of headache, we asked her to take rest. She will now take up humanities,” her mother added.
Souparno Rakshit School: South Point High School Score: 84.8%
His writing ability is much weaker than his verbal skills. A confident elocutionary and debate champ, Souparna has problems when writing. “He speaks fluent English but when it comes to writing, it is a different story. Problems c r e e p in sentence construction. He struggles to keep track of syntax or grammatical errors,” said his mother Mukulika Ghosh Rakshit.
The invigilators had recommended him to take a writer but he refused. “Now, in plus-two, he may seek help from the Board as well as the school. The syllabus will be massive and he may need help,” she added. Souparno has enrolled in Class XI with commerce and Computer Science.
Md. Adnan Ali School: DPS Ruby Park Score: 86.9%
Two years back, Adnan met with an accident during Diwali as a firecracker injured both his eyes. The Entally resident was taken to several prominent hospitals in Kolkata for treatment. “Initially, we feared that he may go blind. Later, we went to Hyderabad and after six months, he regained vision in one of the eyes. He underwent cornea change in both eyes. But he still can’t see with his left eye,” said his father Mohammed Ali.
While his treatment was on, Adnan missed out on school. “There was a possibility of eye infection. So we would take him to school only for attendance. During preparations, Adnan could not strain his eyes. He had to be operated on every 15 days throughout his plus-two,” his father added. He will now take up science and plans to be an engineer.