Clearing the National Eligibility Test (NET) is not an easy task, and 34-year-old Mahesh Kumar G of Pala in Kerala knows this better than anybody else. Mahesh was born with visual and hearing impairments, but that did not deter him from chasing his academic dreams. He has defied all odds to pass the NET in political science and become an assistant professor.
Though Mahesh Kumar was born blind, he was able to regain sight in one eye after undergoing surgery. However, fate played a cruel hand when he was diagnosed with hearing loss while studying in the third grade and had to start using hearing aids. He is now 72 per cent deaf and 75 per cent blind. Despite these formidable challenges, Mahesh completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and later cleared the NET exam to become an assistant professor, a dream job he has been pursuing since a young age.
Throughout his academic career, Mahesh faced numerous obstacles, but he wasn’t ready to give up. “I knew that attempting the NET was not easy given my physical limitations. But I was determined to achieve it. One should identify their area of interest and develop the skills to achieve that goal without any self-doubt,” Mahesh told “Open Digest.”
He currently works as an assistant at Kannur University and is awaiting an appointment as an assistant professor. Mahesh says that one should learn how to deal with both successes and failures to move forward with the same passion. “Disability has never prevented me from pursuing my passion. In addition to academics, I love reading books. Sometimes, my friends would read them to me,” he said.
His next goal is to pass the civil service exam and become an IAS officer. “It’s a very competitive world, so you should focus on what you want to be and work towards it to make it happen,” he added.
Mahesh’s grit in the face of adversity serves as inspiration that hard work and perseverance can help us overcome any obstacles that life puts in our way. His achievement will give strength and motivation to many others to break barriers and fulfil their potential.
Be First to Comment