CHENNAI: In an inspiring display of resilience, two students have overcome severe personal and financial hardships to secure commendable marks in the Class 10 board exams.
Among them is D Affraa, daughter of A Asraf, a cleanliness worker who was part of the two-week protest by cleanliness workers outside the Ripon Building in August 2025.
Affraa, a student at St Columban’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in George Town, scored 464 out of 500 marks. “Both my parents were jobless from the beginning of 2025. My father, who previously worked at a private automobile company, is still looking for a job,” she recalled. “My mother lost her job shortly after I joined school and joined the protest for 13 straight days, participating in several other protests afterward. It affected me, but I was determined to score well. Whenever my mother was away, my brother taught me.”
Her mother, Asraf, recalled their sacrifices stating that she had to drop her son’s college admission plans. “I had to pawn all my jewellery and borrow money to manage household expenses. But seeing my daughter’s results makes me feel it was all worth it,” she added.
In a similar story of determination, D Kowsalya, a student at Corporation Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Saidapet, secured 296 marks. Raised by her grandfather since the age of five, Kowsalya stated: “After returning from school, I study for 2-3 hours daily. My grandparents have always supported me.”
Her grandfather, P Prasanna, who works as a security guard at a private company, explained their financial struggles. “After my daughter died due to family disputes, I took on the responsibility of raising my granddaughter on a meagre income. Kowsalya’s father has moved on to a new family,” he added, and pointed to their financial difficulties. “Any form of financial support will be a great help.”