Born visually challenged, Saravanan clears Class X board exam; wants to become an IAS officer

MADURAI: Proving that no disability is a deterrent to success, a visually challenged V Saravanan from Koothiyarkundu area in Madurai scored 459 marks out of 500 in Class X board exam. He secured 90 marks in all the subjects except social science. He is visually challenged by birth. Hailing from a middle-class family, with his father working as a driver in Indian Oil Corporation and mother a homemaker, Saravanan wants to become an IAS officer.

Talking to TNIE, he said, "I regularly spend two hours on studies. When I hear a lesson one time, I will be able to recall it whenever I'm asked. I do not have distractions like what other students have -- watching TV, playing mobile etc.," he said. Apart from using 'Braille' method for reading, Saravanan added that his friends and teachers helped him by reading out the lessons for him.  

School Headmistress Packiamary said that for the past 50 years the school has been providing education only for visually challenged students. This year, 17 students appeared for class X and all got passed. Among them, seven students got above 400 marks, she added.

Saravanan thanked his scribe, headmistress, teachers and parents for their support and efforts.