UMAPATHI SURENDRAMOHAN (Hyderabad Centre)
Amongst the 852 students interviewed, 15 year old Umapathi Surendra Mohan from Aanantpur
in Andhra Pradesh was a shining example of perseverance in the face of great difficulties.
Umapati’s father is a priest, earning barely Rs. 3500/- per month. Umapathi
had secured 95% in his school and had got admission to pursue Electrical Engineering
at the Government Polytechnique in Anantpur.
Being the son of a priest, Umapathi could not avail of any concessionary fee that
is given to the Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe youths. His family could not
afford even the polytechnic fees of Rs.3830/- per semester and it was only on coming
across the Mahindra All India Talent Scholarship (MAITS) advertisement that Umapathi
decided to register at the polytechnic. With Abdul Kalam being his role model, Umapathi
has plans of designing the fastest mode of transportation and has dreams of getting
a job at ISRO.