Hyderabad teen runs away for love, scores 94% from shelter home

HYDERABAD: When 17-year-old Shwetha (name changed) realised that her parents found out about her relationship with a lower caste boy, she left her home and academics to run away with her partner, only to be found and rescued by police as she was still underage.
Shwetha was then rejected by her family owing to which she was sent to the children's home for girls in the city.
Two years later, the young girl scored 945 marks in the exam and emerged as a top scorer in Kallam Anji Reddy Vocational Junior College with aspirations to become a mathematics professor.
"Just a month or two months ago, I resumed talking to my parents. When they learnt about my marks, they were really happy and asked me to come back. I haven't really thought if I will go back," Shwetha told TOI.
The government children's home for girls this year has seen a higher pass percentage and scores among the 25-plus orphans and children, who appeared for SSC and Intermediate exams. Seeing their good performances and desire to study more, the women development and child welfare department is planning to enrol them into JEE and NEET and offer tutoring.
Shwetha, her guardians in the girl's home say, was always a bright child which gave her an edge despite the traumatic experiences she endured as a child.
She had previously scored 10 on 10 in her SSC but afraid of the separation from her partner, cut her academics prematurely.
"I cannot really say that if I was with my partner, my studies would have ended. He (partner) knew I loved maths and would have encouraged me, but of course I would have to work and do all things alone," said the confident girl.
She now hopes to take up BCom in her college and study as much maths as she can. "I have decided to opt for BCom because I can study and do some accountancy work and eventually become a professor. I want to go back home only after I earn," she added.