CHENNAI: Help has continued to pour in from various quarters towards the education of Charumathi J, a government schoolgirl, who cracked NEET - after Express carried an article titled ‘Govt school girl scripts NEET success story’ on July 27. Readers have made a total contribution of Rs 60,000 in cash, apart from sponsoring her medical textbooks, so far. G Sankaran, a resident of Besant Nagar in Chennai, made a contribution of Rs 25,000 for Charumathi who now studies at the Thiruvarur medical college.
”After I read the article, I thought this girl deserved a helping hand,” said Sankaran.
A Bengaluru-based lawyer and a resident of Odisha, who wanted to remain anonymous, contributed Rs 5,000 each, after reading the article that was shared by a relative. A resident of Vellore, who also wanted to remain anonymous, contributed Rs 10,000 towards her education. Charumathi went on to score 370 in her NEET exams despite being relocated from her house in Saidapet to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board resettlement tenement in Perumbakkam. She was a student of the Government school in Kelambakkam. Her father, who has a juice cart, and her elder sister, had taken loans for her NEET coaching.
Earlier, an Express reader, Parthasarathy R, a retired senior manager, Bank of India, had contributed Rs 10,000 and a retired television news producer Preetha A Anand had come forward to sponsor her medical textbooks. Preetha has since contributed Rs 5,000 in addition.
Speaking to Express, Charumathi’s sister said, “I am thankful to each of them. The help is also timely since our father has not been able to go to work since he has been diagnosed with cancer. It’ll help cover her annual fees of Rs 13,000 apart from other needs.”