Success Stories

Madhan Kumar from Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu was visually challenged by birth. His single mother struggled very hard to run the family and provide for his special needs. She learnt about Nethrodaya and sought help. Soon, Madhan was given free admission to Nethrodaya's Free Residential Higher Secondary Special School. With consistent performance in academics and extra-curricular activities, Madhan brings fame to Nethrodaya. He recently won the State Level Quiz Competition that was organized by Quizabled, Chennai.

Two years back, Aruldass of Pondicherry was an ambitious young student studying in 11 standard dreaming of making it big in the national cricket field despite many hardships and tragedies he faced including the death of his mother when he was 3 month old baby, He had played in many important matches and little did he know that he would lose his sight all of a sudden. While batting for a match, he noticed that he could not see properly and lost his sight due to a certain nerve deficiency in the brain. The sudden loss of sight was a big disaster in his life which pushed him into depression and despair. He had to discontinue his studies. The eye operation did not give any relief. He came to know of Nethrodaya through an Australian lady who visited Pondicherry and approached us to pursue his studies. We admitted him immediately to its Free Residential school for the blind.

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The suffering of those who lose eyesight in later years due to sickness is more acute compared to those who are born blind due to psychological factors.

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"Nethrodaya gave me a direction, as I was feeling lost. I have joined the Nethrodaya school and I am confident to pass the 12th public examination with flying colors and get the cash award from Nethrodaya" says Arul Dass.

"I come from a poverty-stricken family and lost my sight at 22, which was traumatic and agonizing. Nethrodaya was instrumental in pursuing my education and my family is proud of my success."

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From Achrapakkam village, Devan lost his sight at the age of 22 due to a genetic disorder and could not pursue his education due to his sudden vision loss. He approached Nethrodaya after almost 12 years and through guidance and encouragement from Nethrodaya, he scored 374 marks in his 10th standard exams in his first attempt proving that age is not a barrier to performance.

Studying is a bigger challenge for a Visually Challenged Girl than that of a Visually Challenged Boy. Overcoming all obstacles within the family and deciding to pursue higher education calls for immense courage and determination.

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I come from Sillakudi village, Perambalur. I lost my sight as a child. I have one brother and four sisters. My brother and one of my sisters also have a vision problem. I'm proud to be at Nethrodaya because the resources we avail at Nethrodaya presently are not available anywhere else. My success in the education field will set a precedent for girls who are visually challenged and are looking for an opportunity to improve their lives.

M.Kalaimani, a visually impaired from birth, lost her father when she was studying in 3 standard. She hails from Paranam, a remote village in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu. Visual impairment and poverty did not deter her from excelling in studies. She scored 1148 marks out of 1200 in the 12th public examination in 2013. She came to know about Nethrodaya through one of her High School teachers and approached Nethrodaya for accommodation in the free hostel to pursue B.A (History) in Quaid-E-Milleth College, Chennai. Her burning desire is to become an IAS officer and be the District Collector and do service to the rural people.

Nethrodaya is extremely proud of its four visually impaired students, Jayabalan, Muruganandan, Bhoopathy, and Sivakumar who have made a mark in their academic career and are out on a mission of fulfilling their dreams of accomplishing the most coveted Doctorate in their respective fields of education despite their disabilities and challenges All four hail from remote villages and economically backward families.

Kavitha recently turned blind due to an irreparable eye disease. She found leading her day-to-day living extremely difficult. After learning about the organization from family friends, she reached out to Nethrodaya to seek their help for counseling and guidance.

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Nethrodaya offered her the requisite support and upon motivation and educational support appeared for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) Examination and was selected and appointed as a Clerk in a Government School at K.K. Nagar, Chennai.

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Kavitha visited Nethrodaya and thanked Nethrodaya for their unconditional support and donated her first month's salary.

A blind student hailing from a remote village in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu has fulfilled his ambition of becoming a teacher in a Government School. He graduated staying at Nethrodaya which spanned over a period of ten years. Nethrodaya has pride in his success in life.

A Visually impaired student hails from a remote village in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, has completed his M. Ed in Tamil Literature. During his stay in Nethrodaya for the past 10 years, He has completed his bachelor's Degree, master's Degree & B.Ed. He is being conferred an M.Ed from the Tamil Nadu Teachers University on 24th September 2014. We at Nethrodaya wish him great success in the days to come.

McLaughlin once said, "A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles". The story of Rajesh proves that it can also be a mighty defense against any major troubles that may come our way. Currently a student of class 11, Rajesh faced his first major setback in life when he lost his vision at a young age. Most of his time had to be spent on treatments; he could not continue his Education. The impact that constant visits to hospitals, failing eyesight, and the thought of a bleak future all combined can have on a young mind is huge and daunting. Yet, the 2017 SSLC Public Exams saw Rajesh become one of the Top Scorers of Nethrodaya. The maturity needed to have such an attitude despite these struggles is to be highly appreciated. Nethrodaya realizes his struggle, hard work, and perseverance in the face of adversity and wishes him all the very best for his future.

One of the most enthusiastic and focused student at Nethrodaya, Anthony maintains an amazing Academic record. Her interest in the subjects can be seen in the keen attention she pays during Class hours and in the way she does any work given to her on the same day, without fail. Yet another aspect to note about this girl is the quick grasp that she has on the subject matters, and her habit of reading Newspapers, which she claims to do whenever possible. Nethrodaya wishes Anthony a lifetime of success and happiness in all her wishes and endeavors.

Meghala is currently a Student of Class 12 and is one of the most dedicated Students at Nethrodaya. While being a Visually Impaired person carries a certain stigma in the Indian Society, being a girl who is Visually Impaired has its effects. Yet, this girl has a curiosity and thirst for knowledge. The maturity that she displays within class and outside, and her uncomplaining nature in the face of difficulty makes her an amazing student. She is an example of the quote, "Work hard in silence and let your success make the noise". Nethrodaya wishes Meghala every success and hopes that all her dreams come true.

Krishnamoorthy is undoubtedly Nethrodaya's Helen Keller. He was born with multiple disabilities such as hearing and speech impairment along with visual impairment of low vision. Having lost his parents at an early age he was passionate about getting educated and his grandmother brought him to Nethrodaya. He had to learn each lesson by seeing it in written form in bold letters, understand it, and learn it by heart. It was laborious and continuous hard work which was monumental as he had to communicate his doubts with his teachers in writing and the teachers had to clear his doubts in written form again and again till he understood them completely. It defies one's understanding of how he learnt to do mathematics which involves complicated steps and logical sequences. His determination to learn gave him enormous energy to undergo innumerable difficulties with a smiling face. He has passed the tenth standard board examination conducted recently with flying colors. Nethrodaya salutes his indomitable will to turn impossibility into possibility and will always cherish him for being an icon to other students.

Master. S. Gowtham, a student of a private school was expelled from the school due to sudden loss of vision in his twelfth class. His parents approached Nethrodaya for school admission. The quick acceptance of his visual disability and his vision to prove his ability has helped him secure first place among the differently abled students in the district within the short span of a year. It is indeed a matter of pride that the students from Nethrodaya's Higher Secondary School for the Blind have been the district toppers for the past three years. Nethrodaya wishes Master. S. Gowtham the best in all his future endeavors.

Sivakumar was born as a visually challenged child with visually challenged siblings to poverty-stricken parents in an interior village in Thiruvannamalai district. He made an irrevocable decision to achieve academic excellence while he was a small boy. His unquenchable thirst for knowledge and educational excellence made him pursue secondary, higher secondary, graduate, and post-graduate levels and complete his Doctorate in Philosophy. He was awarded his Ph.D. recently. His disciplined academic performance and his perseverance to pursue his chosen educational mission despite all obstacles without compromising for short-term gains, made him a role model for other visually challenged aspirants. He is the first-generation graduate in his neighborhood and the first visually challenged Ph.D. in his village. He has become a legend and a hero among the mothers of his district who quote his example to inspire their children.

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Sivakumar spent more than a decade as a student in Nethrodaya. Nethrodaya is proud of his success and achievements and wishes him the best in his endeavors.

"I am blind from birth. I am from Kanyakumari, I am doing my Master's Degree in History and am learning computers so I can get a job. My father passed away when I was four, my mother works as a maid. Nethrodaya provides all facilities for free".

"Both my sisters and I are blind. My father is a labourer. My hamlet is 700 km from Chennai. I stayed in Nethrodaya from 2005 to 2007. I did my B.Ed. and M.Ed. I am now a government teacher in Kodaikanal".

Ashok, a resident of Nethrodaya who hails from a remote village in Villupuram District and had an aim to pursue his higher education (English Literature) Nethrodaya offered total support in pursuing his dreams and

today he is a Teacher in Sembakkam Government Hr. Sec. School earning a handsome sum of Rs. 25,000/- a month and he has happily settled with a caring Wife Rajeswari and a lovely child Lavanya who is ten months old now.

We at Nethrodaya are proud to see Ashok who has been able to lead an independent and successful life in Society

"I have polio. I can move around with the help of crutches. My father is a farmer. I came to Nethrodaya a year ago. I am doing my Bachelor's Degree in History. I love to help the blind girls".

"My brother and sister too are blind. I have been staying in Nethrodaya for four years. I am doing my Ph.D. in Tamil literature. I want to become a professor. My father abandoned us when I was 9, my mother is an agricultural labourer".

Yuvraj, who belongs to the village, Odukaththoor, in the Vellore district was born blind. His sister was also born blind. His father had sleepless nights wondering how he would raise his special children, in an ordinary manner, who would care for them after he died? As his children grew up, they learnt, quite naturally, to live as ordinarily as sighted people. They were independent, responsible, and ambitious.

Yuvraj came to Nethrodaya and completed his college education. He went on to become a teacher at the Odukaththoor Government School, the first among his generation of children in the village to hold a government job. Today he draws a salary of Rupees 11,000/-. He is educating his sister, taking care of his parents, and hopes to get his sister married.

Born a visually impaired in the remote village of a lower middle-class family of a farmer, Dr.Boopathi went on to achieve greater and greater success with distinction in his academic career with his indomitable will, focus, perseverance, dedication, and hard work. Dr. Boopathi joined Nethrodaya in the year 2009 for his undergraduate degree in English from Presidency College and he made great use of all the learning opportunities offered by Nethrodaya such as computer training, digital library, and reader services. Based on his merit and qualifications, he was appointed as Assistant Professor at the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University in 2017. ET Dr.Boopathi is a shining role model and a great inspiration to the visually impaired community. Nethrodaya awarded Dr.Boopathi, one of its alumni for his excellence in his chosen field with the award "Role Model in Higher Education".

Ezhilarasan, a physically challenged student of Nethrodaya secures distinction in B.ed. He is presently working in a reputed school in Chennai.