Flying high to achieve her dreams

Sasikala C.'s inspiring journey from child care to medical college showcases resilience and determination against all odds.

Sasikala C.’s journey from a child care institution in the capital district to Government TD Medical College, Alappuzha, is a remarkable one.

The 18-year-old who cleared the NEET-UG exam and secured allotment in the first phase to Alappuzha medical college is thrilled about her success, and simultaneously relieved. “I was sure I would get enough marks, but was not sure about my rank. I was a bit tense about that.”

Now though, having secured 661 marks and 1,853rd rank, she is looking forward to her medical college stint from Monday (September 2).

Sasikala, along with her elder sister, moved to Namaste Wings to Fly, a child care institution at Vellanad, at the age of three after her father died and her mother Chandrakumari was left with two young children to look after. Chandrakumari too secured employment there.

Sasikala did her schooling from G. Karthikeyan Smaraka Government Vocational and Higher Secondary School, Vellanad. A bright student, she secured full A+ in both SSLC and Plus Two examinations and nursed her dream of becoming a doctor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an ex-student of her former teacher Malini provided Sasikala with a laptop on coming to know of her desire to study medicine.

After she completed Class XII, her former teacher asked if she would be interested in doing a crash course to prepare for the medical entrance test. That took Sasikala to a coaching institute in the city. The course fee was sponsored by the same ex-student of her teacher.

Sasikala appeared for the NEET-UG that year but the results were average. That did not demotivate her. “I knew that if I could score over 400 with just one month of coaching, I could improve my results.”