more-in Seated in a wooden chair, he holds a book very close to his face; his right eyeball scans each word printed on the page. For someone who was born visually impaired in the left eye and who can hardly see through his right eye, 30-year-old J. Selvam has just submitted his Ph.D thesis in Gandhigram Rural Institute near Dindigul. “I can read when I hold the book very close to my eyes but when it is taken away, I can see only light. Everything around me is just different shades of light. My mother says I could have had better vision in my right eye if not for an injury I suffered at the age of one. She regrets till date that she could not afford medicine prescribed by the doctor,” says Selvam, who is on a 10-day visit to the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP), where he completed much of his research work. Having never studied in a school for the visually challenged, his remarkable journey through school, college and university has been fraught with poverty, and struggle and what has sustained him is his undying determination to carve a niche of his own. At a time when higher education is becoming an expensive affair, Selvam did not let his disability or poverty come in his way in achieving his goals. Struggling his way through school education, later completing graduation, post-graduation and M. Phil, he went on to score the highest marks in the examination for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Selvam hails from Gandamanur village in Theni district in Tamil Nadu. His parents who work as agricultural labourers sent him to school as there was no one to look after him at home. “Even my elder brother and sister had to go to work. If they didn’t, there was no food at home. But no one expected me to reach this stage,” he says. With their family members unaware of a school for visually challenged persons, Selvam joined as the lone visually challenged boy in a government primary school in his village. He recalls the names of the teachers who motivated him to pursue education at each stage of his life. “I could not see anything that was written on the board. When I was in Class IV, a teacher named Ponnila used to read to the entire class first and then call out my name and repeat it again. She instructed my classmates to help me in writing down the notes. This drew me towards studies,” he says. A great relief For Selvam, text books provided in Class VI came as a great relief. “We got text books and I didn’t have to depend on anyone. I would concentrate on what was taught in the class and read it before going home,” he says, adding that he could not read at home as it was barely lit by a small oil lamp. Though support from his teachers and classmates helped him clear the exams, he says he had to struggle till Class X as found it extremely difficult to write. “This scared me when I reached Class X. When the exam was nearing, a teacher called Durairaj told me that I could avail the help of a scribe to write my examination. Since there were no other visually challenged students, the school authorities were ignorant of the procedure to assign a scribe,” he said. First test It was during the process of obtaining a medical certificate to apply for a scribe that his vision was tested for the first time. Taking help from scribes, he cleared the Class XII examination scoring 1010 marks. “I was keen on pursuing science but was told that visually challenged persons could not do so due to practical reasons. So I chose history and after completing the course, I applied for teacher’s training but was sent back since I was visually challenged. However, the department officials suggested that I pursue higher education to get a job,” he said. This set him on a journey from a small village in Theni district to The American College in Madurai to study B.A. in Tamil Literature. Later, he joined Gandhigram Rural Institute to pursue his post-graduation, and moved to Puducherry for his M. Phil and then went back to Gandhigram Rural Institute to do his Ph.D. He fondly remembers Puducherry as it was when he was completing his M.Phil that he got his first pair of spectacles. “Only after wearing the spectacles could I could vaguely see different colours. I could differentiate between men and women and admire the serene campus of Pondicherry University,” he said. Though he topped the UGC-NET examination in his subject, not many professors came forward to guide him. The issue was brought to the notice of then vice-chancellor and orders were issued to admit him. However, distressed over the unwillingness expressed by the professors, he went home, returned the admit card to the University and joined Gandhigram Rural Institute to pursue Ph.D in Tamil literature. “I never regretted my decision to return the admit card. I have worked hard for the past five years and submitted my thesis this January. I am waiting for my viva voce now,” he says. Selvam believes that his real struggle is yet to begin. “I have crossed so many hurdles to complete my Ph.D with the help of my family and friends. But, I have to find a job now and I do not know what challenges await me,” he adds.

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