The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Unique 100 p.c. attendance record

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Unique 100 p.c. attendance record

S.R. Ashok Kumar

RARE DISTINCTION: (From left) Rameswari, Thuya Gowtham, and Mari Swarna Prabha with parents Raju and Anandhi.

CHENNAI: This is the story of a family of achievers.

Two girls and a boy have the unique distinction of not taking even a day off in school or college.

Sisters Rameswari and Mari Swarna Prabha, who studied in Velammal Matriculation School, did not absent themselves even for a single day throughout their schooling. Now their kid brother R. Thuya Gowtham, studying in class XI, is following his sisters' footsteps. Rameswari, who has completed her degree, did not take a day off even once during college.

She attributes their distinction to their parents' insistence on them not taking leave. "Our parents Kadayam Raju and Anandhi told us that we must not take leave to ensure that we do not miss any lesson. Even if we fell sick, we would be given medicines and one of them would wait at the school gate. Our relatives were also understanding, as we would skip even funerals in case of the death of a relative.

"Another inspiration was our principal Abdul Rahman, who would come to school from Tiruvallur, starting his day at 5 a.m., not deterred even if it was a rainy day," she says.

Their father Kadayum Raju is the public relations officer of the South Indian Artists Association and has worked as production executive for many films.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu