Orphan girl from Telangana cracks NEET, gets MBBS seat

Vijayalakshmi's both parents died within 14 months, leaving Vijayalakshmi, her elder sister Maheshwari and younger brother Jagadish orphaned

Sangareddy: Orphaned at the age of six when she was in Class Two, Neerudi Vijayalakshmi, now 18, has overcome multiple several challenges and has cracked the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

Born in the remote Akula Lingapur village in Narayankhed mandal, Vijayalakshmi’s both parents died within 14 months, leaving Vijayalakshmi, her elder sister Maheshwari and younger brother Jagadish orphaned. Their grandmothers Narsamma and Bhagyamma then supported the three grandchildren in pursuing education. Their maternal uncle Sangameshwar also came to their support. The three siblings completed their education in the local government school.

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While Maheshwari got a seat in BSc nursing, Vijayalakshmi resolved to become a doctor. With the support of the Sarvodaya Grama Seva Foundation (SGSF), Lions Club, her teacher Manikyam and a few other kind-hearted people, she joined a corporate junior college in Hyderabad in 2020. She scored 964 out of 1,000 marks in Intermediate but failed to crack NEET in her first attempt in 2022. Though she got the 2000th rank in Eamcet (Agriculture and Medicine), Vijayalakshmi decided not to join any course. Instead, she opted to prepare for another year, with her support ‘team’ coming forward to pay another year’s fee.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Vijayalakshmi said she wanted to become a doctor at any cost. After a year-long committed preparation, she finally managed a good national rank in NEET this year and got a seat at the Government Medical College, Mahabubabad after the second phase of counselling. Again, the philanthropists came to her support to pay the tuition fee, and the local temple priest came forward to pay Rs 29,000 per year.

Her uncle, Sangameshwar, said his friends, villagers and relatives had come forward in the last three years to donate funds to help Vijayalakshmi realise her dream. Though the family owns no properties, Sangameshwar has exuded confidence that Vijayalakshmi would complete MBBS with the support of philanthropists. She would need at least Rs 1 lakh per annum to meet all expenses.

SGSF founder Dr Sudhakar Nayak told Telangana Today that they would pay a scholarship as well to Vijayalakshmi to help her complete MBBS.