A centenarian woman in Kerala who became the oldest to clear literacy exam and won appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi died at the age of 107.
Bhageerathi Amma, a native of Prakulam in Kollam district, cleared the Kerala State Literacy Mission's fourth-standard equivalency test at the age of 105.
She had also received the Nari Shakthi Puraskar of the centre for her achievement. She received appreciation from the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat address. "If we wish to progress in life, we should develop ourselves, if we wish to achieve something in life, the first pre-condition for that is the student within us must never die," Modi said referring to the great grandmother's achievement.
Sources close to her family said that she desired clearing the tenth equivalency test. Owing to the age related issues she took.
Bhageerathi Amma had to stop her studies at class three owing to family and social compulsions. But she did not hide her desire to learn when the Kerala Literacy Mission authorities approached her.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in his condolence message that Bhageerathi Amma had been an inspiration to Kerala's women empowerment and literacy missions.
(Published 23 July 2021, 12:58 IST)
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