S. Bharathiraja, a student of the Government High School, Paranam, a remote village, was the toast of this backward district on Thursday.
With a score of 499 in SSLC examinations, the 15-year-old emerged a State topper. He is one of the three State toppers from government schools.
Bharathiraja says he concentrated entirely on classroom teaching and never went to tuition class beyond school hours. The secret of his success? “I used to set aside a regular schedule to study after coming back from school,” he reveals.
The second son of Sekar, a farmer, Bharathiraja made it a habit to study till midnight and wake up before dawn to revise the subjects.
He wants to pursue first group in Plus One and aspires to become an IAS officer. His parents were awestruck when news broke out that their son was a State topper. “I can’t express my happiness and feelings in words regarding my son’s feat. I knew my son would secure good marks, but never thought he would emerge a topper,” said a delighted Sekar.
“Bharathiraja was a sincere student whose hard work, his parents’ motivation and encouragement from teaching staff all paid off,” said school headmistress T. Rajam. His is a spectacular feat amid stiff competition from urban and semi-urban centres, Ms. Rajam said.
