Grief-stricken, S Anita from Karuvepillaipalayam near Thiruvennainallur Taluk in Tamil Nadu appeared for her Class XII examinations on March 5, the day of her father's funeral. Not even 24 hours had passed since the girl lost her father, a 54-year-old chilli vendor, in a road accident, the very night before her English examination.
A show of resilience, Anita kept on, to fulfill her father's dreams, attempted her Board examinations, and scored 85% which translates to 514 marks out of 600.
Student aspires to become CA
"If my dad was alive, he would have made sure I join college, as he did for all four of my sisters," she told The New Indian Express. She expressed her desire to pursue a career in Chartered Accountancy (CA), however, the family could not afford to pay for her undergraduate (UG) course.
"My mother is unable to source the money required," said Anita, a student from Saravanambakkam Government Higher Secondary School.
Father hit by a car on national highway
Anita's father, M Subrayalu made money by selling red pepper, carrying bags of it on his bicycle. On March 4, as he was crossing the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway near Siruthanur, a car en route to Chennai reportedly struck him fatally, said the police to The New Indian Express.
He is survived by his wife Kuppammal and five daughters, two of whom are married. Anita said her father had dreamt of making her a police officer.
Anita, as a last resort, has now sought the assistance of the district administration and the state government to pursue her higher education.
