“I was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when I was five years old. And the little girl, who was interested in dance and studies, was slowly confined to a wheelchair. My sister Sumi John was diagnosed with the same condition within a few years. But this did not stop us from dreaming of a future which saw them completing their higher studies.

Coming from an economically backward family also added to our woes. Our parents were in denial the first few years after the diagnosis but after that, we settled into a comfortable routine. The schooling was comparatively easier since our high school was quite nearby. Our parents could afford the amount that goes into transport back then. Moreover, our teachers and other students in our class were equally helpful. To help sustain us, our mother took up a job as a hostel warden in the school we were studying and would often come to help us during lunch and such.

But matters turned very difficult after I completed my plus two. No college was ready to take me. I even feared if this would be the end of my dreams as the major problem was attendance and most of the colleges were very far from where I stayed and arranging daily transport was a hassle for my father, who is a daily-wage labourer.

Our family is based out of Kabanigiri, an interior region in Wayanad. Both my parents wanted me to continue studies as I showed consistent progress in my academic performance. So I finally joined a private college for Bachelors in History. But very soon, I was unable to travel to the college every day and they asked me to get my TC, right before the examination. I was going through a rough patch at that time which was when a TV channel did a news story on me and it changed my life. It was then that JDT Islam came forward to take up my education and I will always be indebted to them.

Sumi and I completed our Bachelor of Multimedia and Communication (BMCC) examination conducted by Calicut University in 2014. And within a short span of time, we almost completed our post graduation in Multimedia and Communication and became a full time professor here.

The college was kind enough to arrange for our stay and even made changes in the building to accommodate us. The teachers, non-working staff and even the students of the college were kind to us and always helped us however they could.

My long term goal is to become financially independent and take care of my family the same way they took care of us when we were kids.”