Class 11 boy’s walking stick design gets him ticket to Finland

He was the only one from Tirupur to be selected and he is one among 50 students across Tamil Nadu to be part of the tour.  His parents Ilayaraja and Jothimani, are daily wagers at a textile manufacturing firm.

The walking stick raises an automatic alarm upon navigating a fixed distance to guide the visually challenged person to decide on the next movement. “It’s a dream come true for me to be selected for a foreign trip,” said an elated Poovarasan.

His parents said that the teenager was the first in the family to board a plane. They also said he was very sincere with his studies and a good student. “As our earnings don’t quite meet family expenses, we haven’t even ventured outside the village. We are overjoyed that our son is getting a chance to go abroad,” said Ilayaraja. The couple, natives of Thanjavur, moved to Kangayam two decades ago in search of livelihood. Despite their struggles, they admitted Poovarasan in a private school to give him a good education. However, since they were unable to pay the school fee, Poovarasan was shifted to  the government school.  Participating in the district level science festival, Poovarasan emerged second for his innovative stick last year. His school teachers recommended him for the State government’s education trip to Finland.

The 50 students selected for the government sponsored 10-day tour from January 20 will visit educational institutions, museums and interact with scholars in Finland.