Ponnani: "The moment my vision started blurring, God lit up a lamp for me in the form of my mother,' said 26-year-old Sreeraj soon after securing Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of the University Grants Commission. The youth secured JRF in his third attempt.
Sreeraj was born with 95 per cent visual impairment and he could not do anything without others' help. His mother's daily routine included taking him to school in the morning and bringing him back home in the evening.
Dedicating the fellowship success to his mother Padmini, the youth said: "My mother is not aware of JRF's magnitude. When I told her that after completing my studies I will be able to prefix 'Dr' before my name, she hugged me tightly and cried," he said.
Sreeraj's father Chandran has been under treatment for respiratory tract illnesses for years. The family depended entirely on Padmini's meagre earnings.
The desire not to bother people who were helping him led Sreerag to set the goal of securing JRF. His friends provided him with recorded syllabus while brother Nithin stood by strongly.
Sreeraj, who is the Ponnani area secretary of the Kerala Federation of the Blinds, is also assisting other children in their studies.
He is currently pursuing the MA Malayalam course from the Distance Education Department of the University of Calicut.
Brimming with confidence, Sreeraj says: "My next goal is civil service."