Speech and hearing impaired student excels in SSLC exam

Boy learnt lessons by reading lip movements of his teachers

B S Shivayogi, a student of KHEP High School of KPCL at Kadra in the district, has scored a staggering 606 out of 625 marks in SSLC exam this year. What’s so special about the achievement is that the boy is speech and hearing impaired.

Son of KPCL employee Nagaraj Shetty and Nagaratna, Shivayogi has registered a near perfect score (one short of 100) in Kannada, Hindi and Maths. He managed to score 95 and 93 marks in Science and Social Science subjects respectively while posting a healthy 121 marks in English.

A speech and hearing impaired since birth, Shivayogi showed that disability is no impediment to scale heights.

The specially-abled boy used to learn his lessons by reading lip movements of his teachers in the classrooms. Shivayogi’s mother Nagaratna, who has PG degree in Commerce, used to give special training to her son at home.

Special care by teachers and unconditional support by his parents helped Shivayogi post 90-plus scores in SSLC exam.

“A doctor in Dharwad confirmed his speech and hearing impairment. Following his
advise, we got him treated at All India Institute for Speech and Hearing and admitted him to Rotary West Institute for Mother and Deaf Child for a three-year training course. The special training provided by the teachers there, Ratna Shetty in particular, helped him reading lip movements and overcome problem in learning,” Nagaratna, mother of Shivayogi told Deccan Herald.

“After a two-year training stint at Mysuru, we got him admitted to Kadra KPCL school. Initially, he faced difficulty in comprahending English language in the school but Shivayogi started coping with the problem after I started taking lessons at home a day before teachers did them in classroom. Shivayogi started topping the class from 3rd standard and continued doing so till SSLC,” a beaming Nagaratna added.

 “I am proud of my son’s achievement. His feat would serve as an example for his ilk. He has decided to opt PCMB subjects in PUC and wants to become an engineer,” she signs off.