Bhageerathi Amma, the oldest equivalency course student from Kerala, passed away at Prakkulam due to age-related ailments. A recipient of the Nari Shakti Puraskar, country's highest civilian honour for women, she was 107 when she died. She had cleared Class 4 equivalency course of Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority and joined the next level two years back.
In his 62nd Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had narrated her story, making her an icon of determination. "If you wish to widen your horizons and accomplish key goals in your life, never let the student in you die," the PM had said.
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Bhageerathi Amma couldn't pursue her studies after Class 3 as she was expected to take care of her younger siblings. She was married at the age of 15 and once again the responsibilities of a homemaker kept her away from letters. But she returned to studies after nearly a century gap in 2019 and cleared her papers with good grades as a 105-year-old student.