For 17-year-old Karan Singh Khati, the past fortnight has been like a dream – Khati scored 93% in his class 12 CBSE examinations, the result of which was declared recently, and an accident tribunal awarded him compensation of Rs 27.86 lakh for an accident in which he lost a part of his right leg.

A student of Army Public School, Noida, Karan’s right leg below the knee was amputated after a vehicle ran over it.

On January 16, 2014, the school bus he was travelling in had met with an accident at around 7.25am at the sectors 31-25 crossing in Noida when a speeding truck loaded with marble stones jumped a traffic signal and hit the bus ferrying 37 students from Indirapuram. The wheels of the truck ran over his legs. Karan was 12-years-old at the time and studied in class 7. He had suffered 80% disability and was later fitted with an artificial limb.

However, the teenager’s spirit is indomitable.

“One should overcome disabilities with positive thinking and never get discouraged. Though physical disabilities will remain, I am making all efforts to pursue my dreams,” Karan said.

Though he doesn’t have many hobbies, he said he loves to spend time with his friends and likes listening to music.

“Music soothes me and helps me de-stress. I am not into any particular genre; I like all kinds of music,” Karan said.

The teenager hopes to become a computer engineer one day. According to his mother, Kammo Khati, Karan is now preparing for various entrance exams.

In class 10, he had scored 95% marks and had opted for the non-medical stream – physics, chemistry and maths with computer science and English – at the senior secondary level. He has secured 94 in physics, 95 in chemistry, 96 in maths and computer science and 80 in English in class 12. His favourite subject, he said, is maths.

“Karan scored good marks in class 12. The school management and students helped him overcome the trauma,” Anapurna, a senior teacher at his school, said.

Karan is an only child and his father Harish Chand Singh Khati, a retired army officer, works at the Mausam Vibhag in Sector 62, Noida, while his mother is a homemaker.

According to his family, while the days surrounding the accident were traumatic, they are glad that Karan has been able to move on from it.

“After the accident, Karan was hospitalised from January 16 to March 5, 2014,” his mother said. Karan was able to resume school only in 2015, she added.

“By the grace of god, Karan survived. Now he is overcoming his disabilities. His high scores in class 12 have made us jubilant,” his father Harish said.

The compensation was awarded to him last week by the Motor accident claims tribunal.

“The tribunal on Wednesday awarded a compensation of Rs 27.86 lakh to victim student Karan Singh. The insurance company has been directed to pay the amount,” CR Dwivedi, senior prosecution officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, told HT.

First Published: May 12, 2019 13:54 IST