The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Hearing impaired, yet academically sound

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 25, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hearing impaired, yet academically sound

Staff Reporter

Honour for girls and boys who defied their disabilities to triumph in the SSLC exam

PROUD MOMENT: Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy (left) with hearing-impaired students who have done well in the SSLC examination, at a function in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: For M.S. Shruthi from Mysore, her high score in the SSLC examination was vindication of a life-long struggle to excel. Her 124 marks out of 125 in Kannada and an overall score of 90.7 per cent was also a gift to her parents, the two people who toiled the most to support her surmount her initial speech disability.

As Shruthi walked up to receive an award from Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy here on Sunday, she wore a proud smile.

Her father G. Siddalingappa and mother Renuka watched with pride as their daughter, who once struggled to utter a word, replied to queries posed by mediapersons.

The occasion was one way the Foundation for Arts and Culture for the Deaf found to honour the young girls and boys who defied their disabilities to triumph in the SSLC examination. Sharing the platform of award winners with Shruthi were 13 others, including Nithin N., a student of Amruthavani School, who scored 93 per cent, a performance envied even by those without any disabilities.

The foundation’s request for a college for the hearing impaired, an exclusive art school and an art gallery for the disabled had Mr. Shankaramurthy’s support. He promised to take up the matter with the State Government. He was full praise for the foundation, which, he said, had shown how words of concern for the disabled could be followed up with action.

The focus was back on Shruthi as she explained how her mother and father had taught her to speak.

Her father explained how his wife and daughter had enrolled into a special school in Mysore to get into a unique education model.

Renuka tutored the daughter of another woman, while Shruthi was given the first lessons by the mother of another girl. This mutual education inspired trust and much more. Shruthi’s words echoed that compassion and love.

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