Double Dhamaka: Telangana para athletes excel in CBSE exams and sports
Hyderabad: Even as most students stay glued to their books during board exams, Banoth Pavani, a determined para-athlete from Telangana, was juggling a tightrope of ambition — between the exam hall and the shooting range.Born with only one hand, Pavani participated in a national-level para-shooting tournament at Khelo India in Delhi, where she clinched a bronze medal on March 23.
Barely two days later, the class 12 student appeared for her biology board exam — and came through with flying colours, scoring an impressive 79% overall."On March 20, I left for Delhi to participate in the
Khelo India games
. I returned on March 24 and appeared for my exam the next day. I'm really happy that I could win a medal and still do well in my studies," Pavani shared with TOI, her voice beaming with pride.Hailing from Khammam, Pavani's story is one of grit and quiet determination.
Her father works as a mason and her mother is a tailor — yet despite limited resources and physical challenges, she is aiming for the skies. "My dream is to win a medal at the 2028 Paralympics.
And academically, I want to become a doctor," she says with clarity and conviction.What makes Pavani's feat even more remarkable is that she is not alone. Fourteen students, including 12 from class 10 and two from class 12, from the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Rangareddy, which houses a centre of excellence for para sports, all cleared their board exams while also competing at the national and international level. All of them are classified under the children with special needs category."We have 45 para-athletes currently studying here. Out of them, 14 appeared for their board exams and passed with commendable scores. It's a proud moment for all of us," said Gopala Krishna, deputy commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samithi, Hyderabad.These inspiring students come from diverse backgrounds and battle different physical challenges — from hearing impairments to limb-related disabilities.Among them is K Devendra, a class 10 student who has 85% disability in his left hand. "I can't use my left hand for anything, but I still managed to score 60%," he says. Devendra also brought home two golds and a silver in shot put, discus throw, and the 100-metre race at an international event in Thailand.
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