TN tribal girl who secured 95% in Class X Kerala board exams felicitated

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu forest department on Wednesday felicitated 16-year-old tribal girl C Sreedevi who secured 95% in Class X Kerala board of examinations.
Deputy director of Pollachi division of Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) S Arokiyaraj Xavier honoured the student with a memento and shawl.
Poochukottamparai tribal settlement in Udumalpet range of ATR in Tirupur district, the girl resides, is more than 10 km away from the nearest bus stop.It neither has power supply nor mobile network coverage. About a month ago, she travelled more than 150 km on foot and on her father’s motorcycle up to the state border and in a Kerala government vehicle from there to the school to take the remaining exams.
Despite the odds, the girl, who is a student of Nayaranagadi Model Residential School at Chalakudy in Trissur district, has secured A plus grade in all the subjects.
“The girl deserves huge appreciation and the felicitation ceremony was organized to encourage the girl to continue her studies. Inspired by her, other students should also continue their education,” said assistant conservator of forest (ACF) V Selvam.
“On behalf of the forest department, we have assured to extend all kinds of support to the girl to continue her education,” he said.
As Sreedevi wishes to study science group at the same residential school, the officials went an extra mile by speaking to the school management to ensure that a seat was reserved for her.
“I thought it would be really useful if I had a laptop and when I conveyed it to the officials, they had immediately agreed to get me one,” said Sreedevi.
The girl has attended the atya patya national championship thrice.