Gritty Asifabad girl with cone dystrophy secures MBBS seat at Osmania Medical College

Defying visual impairment and social hurdles, Burla Avanthi from Asifabad secured admission to Osmania Medical College by cracking NEET. Diagnosed with cone dystrophy, she ranked 2,671 under the PwD quota, inspiring many with her determination and academic excellence.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Mocked by peers and even denied admission to a school because of her visual impairment, Burla Avanthi of Gurudupet village in Koutala mandal overcame every hurdle to realise her dream of studying medicine. She cracked NEET and secured a seat at the prestigious Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, becoming an inspiration to many girls in the district.

Daughter of a tailor, Avanthi was diagnosed with cone dystrophy, a rare eye disorder, when she was just one year old. The condition restricts her vision to 100 metres. Despite this, she pursued her studies with determination even as her parents worried about her future.

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Her uncle Mahesh recalled that Avanthi was once denied admission into Class VI in a government school because of her eyesight, though she had cleared the entrance test. The principal eventually relented and offered her a seat only after an RTI query was filed questioning the rejection.

Refusing to be defeated, Avanthi secured the 2,671st rank in NEET under the persons with disabilities quota and was admitted to OMC. Recently, Collector Venkatesh Dhotre felicitated her with a shawl, praising her as a role model who had shown that physical challenges cannot block ambition.

Avanthi said she was inspired to become a doctor while studying Class VIII at a Telangana Social Welfare Residential Centre of Excellence in Karimnagar. “I want to serve the needy after completing my studies,” she said.

She scored 863 marks in Intermediate and 8.5 CGPA in Class X. She credited her success to the constant support of her parents and her uncle Mahesh.