THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Lack of a regular income in the household for the past many months and a turbulent atmosphere at home in the midst of the Class X Board exams. Enough reasons for any student to break down. But Ashna R of Lakshmi Vilasam High School, Pothencode, was not a girl who would give up that easily.Braving the odds, the 16-year-old student burned the midnight oil and earned A+ grade in all subjects in the SSLC exam. Wearing a proud smile, the teenager told TNIE that her battles in life have only just begun.

“I will choose the science stream for Plus Two. My ambition is to become a doctor,” said Ashna. Her parents, though happy, are equally worried whether they would be able to support her studies in future.
Her father Shaji is a cleaning staff and her mother Rejila Beevi does odd jobs. Her elder brother Mohammad Ashiq has enrolled in an industrial training course after Plus Two. Ashna was a bright student from early classes, says her teachers. She had won the state government’s Lower Secondary Scholarship (LSS) while in Class 4. She has also won prizes in various quiz programmes and was also active with the Junior Red Cross in school.

Ashna’s grandmother had been suffering from prolonged mental illness. After her condition worsened, the atmosphere at home became turbulent. Most of the time, Ashna used to rush to her relative’s place looking for a calm environment to study. It was during the middle of her Board exams that her grandmother died. “She did not have a peaceful atmosphere at home for studies. Besides, there was no income after the lockdown.

But Ashna was determined that she should give her best shot in the exam,” said Rejila. Hafiz V R, who teaches at a nearby tutorial centre, offered free coaching for Ashna in a few subjects. Besides, her teachers at school gave her the much-needed mental support in the hour of crisis. So, what sustains the fire in her belly? “I know my parents are facing a lot of hardships in supporting my studies. And it’s my duty to live up to their expectations. That gives me the strength,” she says.