Showing true grit, S Vaishnavi, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, has succeeded in scoring 94.25 per cent in her SSLC examinations this year. What makes Vaishnavi’s achievement outstanding is that one week before her examination, she suffered a massive relapse and had to be admitted to the intensive care unit of K R Hospital at Banashankari here.

Finding that her carbon dioxide level was higher than the oxygen level, doctors determined that Vaishnavi would need the assistance of a ventilator for her survival. They also advised Vaishnavi’s parents to postpone her exam to June. “ We agreed with the doctors, but Vaishnavi was determined to appear for the exams in April,” said Shanti S Prasad, Vaishnavi’s mother. Vaishnavi’s father, who works as a general manager for Digital Circuits, also played an important role in her success. “My family helped me through this year. In fact, they helped reduce my stress levels,“ said the youngster.

True to her word, a determined Vaishnavi not only wrote the exams in April, but did so while on ventilator support. “We spoke to the headmistress of the centre and the board to make arrangements,” said Shanti.  Speaking to Deccan Herald, Vaishnavi said: “I wanted to prove myself that I could excel academically. I now plan to pursue comm­e­rce.”
Vaishnavi’s school, A V Educational Society, J P Nagar, played a crucial role in her success. “They were our backbone,” says Shanti.

Swayam Prabha, headmistress of the school, said: “Vaishnavi was very meticulous in her work. Even with her difficulty in writing, she used to submit written assignments promptly. At first, I was moved to tears by her plight, but her determination to succeed made me work even harder.” Vaishnavi, who has been with the school since kindergarten, says that all the members of the institution, including the support staff, encouraged her. Vaishnavi is an accomplished painter, though she is unable to hold a brush properly, and aspires to join the Chitrakala Parishat once she completes her schooling.