Aiming for IAS, he raises the bar for self

Standing first in the Samse government high school in the SSLC exam, with 532 marks out of 625 (85.12 per cent), M Sanjeev Kumar has to fund his future education with money earned from working for a month at a bar at Bajagoli in Dakshina Kannada district.

Unlike more privileged SSLC students, who saw their results on the internet, Sanjeev got to know his marks a little late.

His joy knew no limits seeing the marks, the highest being in Kannada (119 out of 125) and in science (92 out of 100).

But even then, he couldn’t go home (Samse near Kalasa in Chikmagalur district) to celebrate his performance as he has to work till May 20 to get the full salary of Rs 3,000.

The 15-year-old boy is the son of Manjunath and Veena, both daily wage workers, belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.

Sanjeev never allowed the biting poverty at home to impede his performance in class. He had scored well in class VII also, scoring 90 per cent of the marks.

It was difficult for the family to fund his studies at that stage. So, he and his brother Shivakumar found a way out to earn enough for their school fees - to work in the bars of  Dakshina Kannada district during the summer holidays every year.

Shivakumar is presently undergoing training at the Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Industrial Training Institute.

Sanjeev used to listen with rapt attention to the lessons in school, to reach where he had to walk 18 km each day, said Lokesh Satish, his science teacher. Sanjeev wants to pursue his PUC in science stream. Those wanting to help his studies may call: 94804 04297.