The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Lucky few who interacted with YSR

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Sunday, Sep 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Lucky few who interacted with YSR

G.V.R. Subba Rao

He randomly calls students with names dear to his heart

NUZVID: Successful persons say success is 90 per cent perspiration and 10 per cent luck. But, it was that 10 per cent luck that gave the students of IIIT here an opportunity to interact with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Saturday.

Only 20 students were selected to interact with the Chief Minister during his visit to the campus of Raiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies IIIT. But, to their dismay, Dr. Reddy randomly called students with names dear to his heart to converse with him. “I know that there is a girl by name Indira. Please come forward,” he said, even as the organisers were getting ready to call another selected girl to begin the interaction.

Ch. Indira Devi, a native of Piduguralla in Guntur district, sprang to her feet with little vacillation.

It was not just Indira Devi, who proved to be the lucky one. The other students on whom dame luck smiled were Rajiv of Nuzvid, Priyanka of Tadanki in Krishna district, Soujanya of Palakole in West Godavari district, and another three girls by name Priyanka.

“I never expected the Chief Minister would invite me to speak. It was a thrilling experience,” said Indira Devi, who topped in her school in 10th class, and joined the IIIT a couple of months ago.

Upon learning that Soujanya’s elder brother was the only bread earner, he advised her to excel in academics. “Once you complete the course, you will get a good job. And, you will get a good husband too,” he prophesied.

When Priyanka (Tadanki) said her parents were blessed with two daughters, Dr. Reddy said:

“I should congratulate your mother for undergoing family planning operation after two daughters. Any home will be blessed with ‘lakshmikala’ (blessings of goddess Lakshmi), if it has daughters,” he said.

Disappointed lot

While it turned out to be a memorable experience for these students, M.A. Tahseen Banu of Manuguru, Sriharasha Rajam of Srikakulam and 18 others, who were selected after several rounds of tests, were clearly disappointed. Each of them was selected for different reasons. Diction, communication skills, command over language, speaking without mumbling were some of the criterion for their selection.

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