CHENNAI: Senthil was born and raised on Barracks Road. But if you are looking for a door number, you will be disappointed. He didn’t have his mother waking him up with a mug of Horlicks or parents who cut off the cable TV to motivate him to get high scores.Senthil and his family live on the pavement of Barracks Road in Mint, with a shanty for shelter. Everyday he waited for the traffic to die down before he could start studying under the streetlights. His father lifts load at the harbour docks. His 80-year-old grandmother carries water for hotels to ensure Senthil can continue his education. A student of the Government Higher Secondary School, Ennore, he battled against the odds to score 791 marks in the Maths-Bio group. Speaking to Express, the 19-year-old said, “I am so thankful for my grandmother. She inspired me to hope for a better life with a good job and a decent house to wake up in.” Senthil is also thankful to the guidance he received from Karunalaya, an NGO which works among pavement dwellers.“I want to become a mechanical engineer,” he said. Though not sure who will support his education, he continues to dream.
Comments
0 comment