Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday gave an example of a 105-year-old woman from Kerala who pursued her studies at an advanced age and exhorted people to seek inspiration from her and never let the student within themselves die.
In his 62nd Mann Ki Baat programme, Prime Minister Modi said, "If we wish to progress in life, develop ourselves, and wish to achieve something then the first pre-condition for that is the student within us must never die. Our 105-year-old Bageerathi Amma, also gives us this inspiration."
"Bageerathi Amma lives in Kerala's Kollam. She lost her mother at a very young age, she lost her husband as well. But Bageerathi Amma did not let go of her courage, did not lose her spirit," the prime minister said in his monthly radio programme.
"She had to quit school before she was 10-years-old. She started re-schooling at the age of 105. Despite her advanced age, she wrote the level four exam and then waited for results. She scored 75 per cent in her exams. Not just that, she scored cent per cent in Mathematics. Bageerathi Amma now wants to continue her studies and wants to appear for higher exams," Modi said.
105-year-old Bageerathi Amma who cleared class four equivalency exam was felicitated Kerala State Literacy Mission in Kollam on February 6.
Bageerathi Amma scripted history when she appeared for her fourth standard exam last November and become the oldest learner of the Kerala State Literacy Mission and has passed her examination.
This grandmother from Parakulam in Kollam district of Kerala has six children and 16 grandchildren.