PU Results: Disability no deterrent for siblings from Udupi

UDUPI: Prajwal, 21, and Pratiksha, 19, are unable to walk or even hold a pen but the feisty siblings haven’t let their disability deter them. The arts students have secured 51% and 49% respectively in the II PU exams.
The siblings are residents of Bergagudda, Nitte village, Udupi.
Their father Shekhar Salian told TOI: “We are happy their hard work has paid off. They are unable to go to school, hence they were taught at home since Class
1.We are ready to go to any extent to ensure our children have a bright future.” Prajwal and Pratiksha had secured 70% and 68% respectively in SSLC exams.
The siblings have weak muscles and underwent physical therapy for three years. However, due to financial constraints, the treatment had to be discontinued, said their father.
The duo’s success can partly be credited to Nitte government model school’s teacher and neighbours Ganesh, Rajani and Akshata, who taught them every day. The siblings were given an extra hour to write the exams with the help of a scribe. “They are an inspiration not only for differently abled children but also others. Anyone can succeed by working hard. They want to pursue computer science and even hope to write the IAS exam in future,” Ganesh Nitte, a teacher.