How these Karkala siblings fought poverty, disability to clear PU Board exams

Manjunath K | coastaldigest.com
May 4, 2018

Fighting the odds of disability and poverty, Prajwal and Pratheeksha, the siblings from Borgalgudde in Nitte village of Karkala in Udupi district on April 30 cleared the Pre-University exam. While the 22-year-old Prajwal and 19-year-old Pratheeksha secured 51% and 49% respectively in the arts stream, they claimed disappointment that they could not secure 70 per cent similar to their matriculation results.

"They have passed their test that is a big achievement for all of us. First class, second class does not matter, my children cleared the test, they can pursuit their dreams now," Shekar Salian, their father said with a sense of relief.

For over two-days now, Prajwal and Pratheeksha who are generally reserved and shy are quite overwhelmed by the repeated calls and congratulatory messages from relatives and friends. The siblings who since childhood are unable to walk due to a genetic disorder generally stay at home and have limited interaction with outsiders. So you see, it takes more time for them to interact with people, their 47-year old father adds. The duo simply shy away while being talked for interview by this reporter.

For these home-tutored pupils, it was not just the 'test' that came with challenges, but the whole concept of adapting to the examination environment. So the siblings claimed that they were intimidated by the presence of so many other children, besides invigilation squad, and stringent environment.

Prajwal and Pratheeksha had to discontinue their regular schooling from 8th standard, as their parents could not arrange for their transport. "We could not afford those things. Few years ago I had to quit my job due to health and my wife Jyothi Salian rolls beedis. Since our financial condition is a bit tough, we are trying to make ends meet," the 47-year old Salian said. For the last several years, these students are being taught at home by teachers Ganesh, Akshatha and Rajani for seven-hours a day.

While Ganesh taught Economics, English and Political Science, Akshata and Rajani taught Kannada, History and other subjects. The teachers give prominence to writing than the oral.

This year at the PU board, things took a critical turn for Prajwal and Pratheeksha, after the examination department disallowed Prajwal and Pratheeksha to be accompanied by the ‘Assistance writers’ of their choice. "We don't blame the system. But during the matriculation their regular tutors were allowed to write for them. But this time the PU board was stringent with condition. Our plea that the kids have communication issue with new people, especially Prajwal - who stammers, did not gain any us favor," Salian said. Moreover, the PU board had laid an additional rider that the 'assistants' must be at-least a year junior in their academics and they cannot be from Arts background.

The family had a tough time looking for the right candidates, as most of the students had just finished their own exam and were fatigued. The parents wandered to several colleges and their relatives but their requests were turned-down or faced a dead-end.

Highlighting the plight of the family Suvarna News 24/7, a Kannada TV channel, even relayed a public appeal, even local government represented the family but the Board did not change the rules. Finally, two students a boy and a Muslim girl from the neighbourhood agreed. "To avoid confusion, we initially told the family that besides giving them best wishes we won’t be able to financially compensate them," Jyothi says.

For over a week, the children about an hour spend an hour each with Prajwal and Pratheeksha to understand their language and expression. Ultimately, things sailed smoothly for the candidates in the test

While the children will continue to pursuit degree education in Arts stream, the family is looking for physiotherapy and other treatment to enable them to live their life independently. "Both our children are highly intelligent and we are certain that they can do something in life. But we do not want them to be confined to a wheel-chair for the rest of their life, for which we are making our best effort.

In a heart-warming gesture the local community in Borgalgudde have raised a sum of Rs 11 lakh through Samaritans and friends from social media for the future of these children. "Most of them tell me that I should enroll them in computer courses, so that they can be self-sustainable. Let’s see, what my kids want," Jyothi says.

Comments

Abdul Rahman
 - 
Thursday, 10 May 2018

Well Done Really Great Thousands of Congratulations Keep it up

Abdul Rahman
 - 
Thursday, 10 May 2018

Weldone Really great!!!!  Thousands of Congratulation.

Mohammed zahoor
 - 
Sunday, 6 May 2018

congrats.. well done...all the best

ABDUL JALEEL
 - 
Saturday, 5 May 2018

God bless you and guide you

 

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News Network
June 23,2020

Bengaluru, June 23: A frustrated chartered accountant has committed suicide after killing his wife and mother-in-law in two different cities of India.

The murder-murder-suicide came amid acrimonious divorce proceedings that might have also involved a property dispute, police said.

Amit flew to Bengaluru last weekend to kill his estranged wife at her Whitefield residence before returning to Kolkata, where he shot dead his mother-in-law and then killed himself at an upscale residential complex in North Kolkata on Monday evening.

Amit and his wife Shilpi Agarwal, who is also a CA, had been living separately since last the two years after their marriage turned sour.

Amit took his 10-year-old son from Bengaluru with him on Monday and dropped him at his uncle’s house before heading to his in-laws’ place Phoolbagan, police said.

Neighbours told cops they heard arguments “appeared to be” over some property documents that Amit wanted his in-laws — 70-year-old Subhas and 62-year-old Lalita Dhandhania — to sign.

The first gunshot was heard a little before 6.30pm, following which Subhas ran out of his flat, bolted the door from outside and took refuge inside his next-door neighbour’s apartment. Police arrived a few minutes later to find Amit and his mother-in-law dead. Police found a suicide note from the flat.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 23,2020

Mangaluru, May 23: Criticising the Karnataka government's fresh protocol for management of Covid-19 as expensive, a prominent physician in the city has demanded its withdrawal.

According to Dr B Srinivas Kakkilaya, the protocol released by the Health and Family Welfare Department on May 15 enlists unnecessary and unconfirmed tests and treatments. 

The protocol has classified Covid-19 cases into three categories and has provided for hospitalisation of all three categories of patients, from asymptomatic to the most severely ill.

In a letter to the government, Dr Kakkilaya said: "The protocol suggests several investigations to be done right on the day of admission, including blood counts, liver and renal function tests, chest X Ray, ECG, CT scan of the chest, and other special investigations, all of which, if done, will cost Rs 25,000 per patient."

"In the coming days when lakhs of patients are likely to be infected with SARS CoV2, is it necessary and feasible to hospitalise and test all these patients at Rs 25,000 per person," he questioned.

The treatment options suggested in the protocol are also surprising, he pointed out. "The protocol recommends choloroquine, azithromycin, oseltamivir, zinc and vitamin C for all patients, from asymptomatic to the severely ill, and also anti coagulant injections for many patients. All these would cost at least Rs 5,000 per patient. For severe cases of Covid-19, many unproven and experimental treatments have been suggested, which are very expensive and highly questionable," Dr Kakkilaya notes.

Therefore, this protocol, he asserted was not evidence based and likely to do more harm than good. He said these unnecessarily expensive tests and allowing private companies to conduct trials on Covid-19 patients is likely to be misused by vested interests and must be immediately withdrawn, and instead, a protocol that is evidence-based, simple and avoiding unnecessary expenses, must be developed.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 13,2020

Managluru, May 13: Expressing regret over the inconvenience faced by the first batch of passengers from UAE that landed at Mangaluru International Airport last night, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, deputy chief minister of Karnataka, today assured that all short comings will be addressed.

Addressing Kannadiga delegates from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and other countries through a video conference, Dr Narayan also assured that necessary steps will be taken by the Karnataka government to provide free quarantine facility for those who cannot afford private quarantine in hotels or guest houses. The video conference was organised by coastaldigest.com.

"The incontinence faced by passengers from Dubai at Mangaluru Airport have already been brought to my notice. All these shortcomings will be addressed. We will take appropriate steps to prevent the recurrence of such inconveniences," he said.

He said that the Karnataka government has already amended its standard operating procedure for international passengers to allow pregnant women to entre home quarantine if they test negative for covid-19. 

The problems faced by passengers at Mangaluru Airport last night include lack of staff to handle luggagues, lack of food and water, delay in arranging vehicle to transport passengers to quarantine centres and lack of free quarantine facility for those who cannot afford private quarantine facility. The next batch of repatriates will not face these problems, he said. 

Dr Narayan also promised to exert pressur on the union governmment to operate more flights to repatriate stranded Indians, especially Kannadigas from Saudi Arabia.

Prominent NRI commnity leaders Zakariya Jokatte, Naveen Bandary, Joy Fernandes, Shathosh Shetty Riyadh, Althaf Saqco, Shiekh Expertise and others participated in the video confernce.

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SS
 - 
Thursday, 14 May 2020

I suggest, prefer Keral airports..  especially muslim pasengers

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