Koraga Girl Sakshi- First in her Community to Crack JEE joining IIIT-Pune
Koraga Girl K Sakshi aged 17, and former student of Alva’s PUC-Moodbidri is the First in her community to crack JEE (Advanced)- and now she is joining Indian Institute of Information Technology in Pune. “If I can do it, I think they too can dream and aspire. My success should encourage others from my community,” says Sakshi.
Mangaluru: Following in the footsteps of her elder sister, Sneha, was the first in the Koraga community to qualify for the MBBS programme, which she is currently pursuing in the A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Mangaluru-K Sakshi aged 17, was placed 1,144th in the Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced (JEE) rank list, and is joining the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Pune. Indeed a proud moment for the Koraga community is that Sakshi is the first from the community to crack this tough exam. This young girl has brought hope and inspiration to the Koraga community, a disadvantaged indigenous tribe of the coastal and hilly regions of Karnataka.
It is learnt that Young Sakshi has chosen the Electronics and Communication Engineering branch at the Indian Institute of Information Technology-Pune (IIIT), but wishes to pursue other plans once she finishes the course. Speaking to media she said, “I want to serve society and help people. Hence my goal is to become an IAS officer. Being the first from the community to crack JEE (Advanced) and join IIIT gives me “a sense of responsibility”. I only hope that my success would inspire others in the Koraga community to strive harder: If I can do it, I think they too can dream and aspire. My success should encourage others. I thank my Alma Mater (Alva’s-Moodbidri) for giving me free coaching for JEE, where I didn’t have to spend money on my education.”
Saksha had completed her SSLC and II Year PU in Alva’s College, Moodbidri with a score of 96% in SSLC and 82% in II PU with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology as her subjects. As co-curricular activities, she loves throw-ball, volleyball, cycling and travelling. She is the daughter of V. Ganesh, a taxi operator who also owns a small farm near Kundapur, and Jayasri R.S., a teacher at Satyagraha Smaraka Vidyalaya School near Ankola. No doubt, Ganesh’s family is among the achievers of the Koraga community, where Sakshi’s elder sister, Sneha, was the first to qualify for the MBBS programme, is currently pursuing in the A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Mangaluru.
Regarding Koraga Community, they are a Scheduled Tribe that has battled inhuman discriminatory practices and social ostracisation, Koragas make a living from basket-weaving and collection of minor forest produce. The community’s small population is scattered around Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga and Kodagu districts in the State. The Federation of Koraga Development Associations estimates their total numbers in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, and in Kasaragod district of Kerala, put together to be 16,500.
We should tune our mind set with regard to the cast / creed or professions ; though commendable achievement which should not be linked with profession ( such as rickshaw driver son, beedi karmika daughter etc etc), cast and creed
Having seen a small koraga community and their living conditions in my home town, I must say, this is truly a proud moment for Koragas and more importantly India’s rich secular constitution. A country can prosper when every citizen has equal opportunity.