New Delhi, May 8:Vinayak Sreedhar, who idolised Stephen Hawking, scored nearly 100 in three subjects he appeared for during the CBSE Class X examination, and passed away in March before he could write the remaining two.
Sreedhar suffered from duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).He scored 100 in English, 96 in Science and 97 in Sanskrit and could not appear for computer science and social studies.
Topping the exam, becoming an astronaut and a trip to Rameswaram were among some of the wishes of Sreedhar that remained unfulfilled.DMD is a genetic disorder characterised by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. It is caused due to the absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact. The Amity International School, Noida, student appeared for the exams under the general category and not the “children with special need” (CWSN) category.
“His muscular movement was very limited. As his writing speed was very slow, he used a scribe to write his English and science papers. For Sanskrit, he insisted on writing the paper himself. He was wheelchair-bound, but his mind was very sharp and aspirations very high,” said Mamta Sreedhar, his mother.
“He would always say I want to become an astronaut despite all challenges and would say if Stephen Hawking could go to Oxford and make a name in cosmology, I can go to space too. He was confident that he will be among the top rankers. We were always amazed at his confidence and would encourage him further,” she added.
Sreedhar wanted to visit Rameswaram temple near Kanyakumari, after his exams were over. “We are in Rameswaram today and will go for darshan in the evening. It was his unfulfilled wish so we decided to not postpone the plans and do it for him,” his mother said.
However, Vinayak Sreedhar is not the only one in his family to make his parents proud. His sister is an Indian Institute of Science (IISc) alumnus and is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of British Columbia on fellowship.
While Vinayak’s father is vice-president with GMR, his mother is a homemaker by choice. “I made this choice. My entire day revolved around him. From brushing his teeth to feeding him, I did it all myself, but it was his willpower that always gave us strength,” his mother said. — PTI
