Security guard secures gold medal in Kannada MA

Divya Bhrathi, the daughter of a single mother, won three gold medals.

A security guard and daughter of a single mother are among students who were conferred with gold medals at the eighth convocation of Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University.

Ramesh, who hails from Gunduru village in Karatagi taluk of Koppal district, began to work as a night guard at an ATM in Gangavathi when he had to halt his education midway due to poverty. However, his determination to scale new heights was not detered by this. He surmounted the obstacle successfully. Working on a monthly salary of Rs 8,000, Ramesh pursued MA in Kannada as a student of SKNG government first grade college in Gangavathi. Not only that, he secured first rank and won a gold medal too.

Ramesh had a stoic reply when asked about the motivation for his achievement - poverty. “I began to work as a security guard to look after my family. While I used to attend college in the morning, I was studying during my work hours from 10 pm to 6 am,” he said.

He added that he began to work as a mason while studying in class 8 and was a paper-milk boy when pursuing degree. After completing BA, he completed BEd from Gavisiddeshwara College in Koppal. Ramesh said he had applied for the post of part-time lecturer.
“I will continue to work as a security guard even if I get this job because of my abject poverty,” Ramesh said.

Shanmukhappa, father of Ramesh, is bed-ridden. Ramesh’s mother Devamma is educating her other three sons and a daughter with her meager income as an agricultural labourer.

Another achiever was M Divya Bharathi, who secured first rank in MSW and won three gold medals. Daughter of a single mother, Divya pursued her education at the PG centre in Nandihalli of Sandur taluk. Her mother Annapurna supports the family with the income derived from a two-acre land.

“I always remember my mother’s struggle and this motivated me to take up my studies seriously. I am preparing for civil services examination,” she said.

The convocation was held in Ballari on Tuesday.