A class 11 student from Puddukkottai, K Jayalakshmi will be visiting National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in May next year as she won an online competition, conducted by Go4Guru. The girl is a Tamil medium student and took English coaching classes for a month. She scored ¡®Grade 2¡¯ and was the best performer.?
Jayalakshmi is the sole breadwinner of her family. She takes care of her mentally challenged mother and younger brother. To be able to afford a trip to NASA, she has asked a Collector to help meet her travel expenses.?
Image Credit: TNIE
She takes tuition classes for Class 8 and 9 students. She also sells cashews to make ends meet. She is one of the few winners of a competition that will give her the opportunity to have a full tour of NASA and interact with astronauts. The winners will also be taken to places like Disney World.?
She studies science at the government high school in Adanakottai.?
Image Credit: NASA
?She got to know about the competition conducted by Go4Guru by chance. "When I was practicing for a carrom match, I saw a newspaper lying beside the board. It had a story about Dhaanya Thasnem, who won a chance to go to NASA last year. I was intrigued and immediately went home and registered for the exam," TNIE quoted her as saying.? ?
Jayalakshmi, an academically talented girl has won numerous scholarships such as the National Means Cum-Merit Scholarship.?
Image Credit: ANI
She has also won numerous scholarships such as the National Means Cum-Merit Scholarship. However, NASA trip is going to cost around Rs 1.70 lakh. She said, "My father lives separately and sends money once a while. My teachers and students pitched in to help me get a passport. The passport officers also offered me Rs 500. I have requested the Collector to help me with expenses.¡±
Talking about her victory she said, "I want to make a rocket-like Abdul Kalam. No one from a government school has won this trip. I want to inspire government school students. If I can do it, so can they.¡±