After cracking Class 4, 96yearold plans to learn computers
HT Correspondent letters@hindustantimes.com
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Karthyayani Amma , 96, who was presented her Class 4 pass certificate on Thursday by Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, now has set a new challenge for herself: learn computers and finish Class 10.
From Alapzuha district, Karthyayani Amma secured 98 out of 100 marks for an exam conducted by the Kerala State Literacy Mission in January this year. “We got the results four days ago and when we informed her about the total, she was inquisitive about the two marks she lost. She scored 30 out of 30 in reading, 40 on 40 in Malayalam and 28 out of 30 in maths,” said K Sathi, a volunteer with the literacy mission who trained the 96-yearold.
Her family was poor, so she could not attend school and was married off at an early age. She said when her 60-year-old daughter, Ammini Amma, passed the Class 10 equivalent examination two years ago she was inspired.
“Now I can read newspapers and story books without anyone’s help. Earlier, I used to nag my great grandchildren,” she said, adding she has now realised the power of letters. She is the oldest to pass the literacy test in the state, said officials of the literacy mission. If she is interested, they will enrol her in class 10 equivalency test.
Many saluted Karthyayani Amma for her feat. “I had tweeted about the 96-yearold Kerala student when she began her studies. Yesterday she passed her exam! Congratulations Karthiyani Amma,” tweeted author and Thiruvananthapuram MP, Shashi Tharoor