Half-body paralysis and three major surgeries later, this boy cracked IIT

KANPUR: Meritorious Ankit Kumar Sharma is one among those fortunates who will study at IIT-Kanpur as he successfully cracked the coveted JEE Advanced exam but life was never a cake walk for him. Son of a carpenter, Ankit was paralysed below waist.
Between 2010-2012, Ankit underwent three major operations for his neurological ailment to cure paralysis which affected his studies for a year.but Ankit did not give up. He was bed-ridden for more than two years. This all happened while his mother was not by his side for support. Ankit's mother had passed away due to TB three years ago.
It was in 2014, when Ankit got partially cured, that he began preparations and a year later in 2015 he cleared class XII board exams. This year he cracked JEE Advanced and secured an AIR 93 in OBC Person With Disability (PWD) category.
While talking to TOI, Ankit with a smile said, "I have been alloted Chemical engineering branch of BTech at IIT-Kanpur and I have decided to study there only."
On being asked about his ailment, Ankit explained, "I was in VIII class when one day while going to school, I fell on the road and could not get up. My father got me admitted to a private hospital and my spinal cord was operated but the operation remained unsuccessful. Two months later I was again treated at Hallet hospital after which my condition improved but medication continued for a long time. I was bed-ridden for two years and had to take a break from studies for one year. A year later I was again operated. It was then I could recover and rejoined my school and began studies."
On Monday, he reached IIT Kanpur to complete the formalities required for his admission. Even after two years of recovery, Ankit limps while walking but he carries confidence on his face.
Ankit's ailment broke the family financially and his father Raj Kishore had to sell off his house in Shah village of Kanpur district for the treatment of his son. He also had to mortgage his four bighas of land for it. His only worry now - how will he fulfill all the requirements for his child to study in the prestigious college.