Armless teen wants to become an IAS officer

Laxmi is an average teen with ambitions of becoming an IAS officer. Presently she is appearing for her 12 standard exams from Solapur. The only thing extraordinary about her is that she writes with her feet – you see, she was born without arms.

“I am normal”, Laxmi told FPJ confidently. “I can write well, turn the pages of textbooks and notebooks, use the computer keyboard and use the TV remote with my feet,” she said.

She suffers from Congenital amputation - which means born without limbs. Hence, she does not feel much difference in her life compared to a non disabled person who loses a limb or limbs and cannot fend for themselves.

Her father Sanjay Shinde and her family were reluctant to send her to school fearing a negative reply from the school and fear of other students. Nearby was a zilla parishad nursery. Laxmi wanted to go and explore inside the school. Not being a student she used to sit under a tree near the school and watch the children studying and playing.

“I longed to study and play with other children but the schools didn’t accept me. So I used to sit outside the school for hours and listen to and sing songs or pretend I was studying,” she said.

Struck by her stubbornness, Sanjay Shinde appealed the nursery headmaster to admit her but was refused. He continued to pester the headmaster. Finally the headmaster agreed to admit Laxmi, putting all responsibility on the family. Thus began her journey. She got 47 percent in SSC and 52 percent in 11 th. When told that she would have to increase her grades if she wanted to make it to IAS, Laxmi said that her grades were improving. “I am studying really hard…I’ll make it,” she asserted.