From grazing goats to grasping glory in HSC exam

Hans India

05-05-2025

Berhampur: This is a story of Chandrasekhar Dalai who made a daring ascent from hills of Gajapati district to heights of A1 in the High School Certificate (HSC) examination.
In the mist-clad hills of Gajapati's remote K M Bhaliasahi village, where life lingers between meagre harvests and muted hopes, this young boy's name echoes through the valley, not as a shepherd of livestock, but of dreams. He herded goats under the shadow of hardship.
Born into a family crippled by poverty, Chandrasekhar, youngest among four siblings, lost his father, Minaketan Dalai, early in life. With their mother Babita Dalai struggling to keep the family afloat and his elder siblings caught in the whirl of survival, Chandrasekhar was nudged into goat grazing, a quiet escape from hunger.
In the rugged heart of R Udayagiri block, where classrooms compete with cultivation, and books are luxuries, fate intervened in the form of Headmaster Ramachandra Dalbehera. With unwavering resolve, he visited Chandrasekhar's home, determined to unearth the sparkle buried beneath silence.
Supported by Chandrasekhar's uncle and teachers who believed in planting hope over hardship, the school flung open its doors at dawn, 5.30 am, inviting a handful of students to reclaim their future.
Under the nurturing guidance of devoted teachers like Biranchinarayan Mandal, Chandrasekhar's dormant curiosity stirred.
Pages, once ignored, became portals to possibility. Notes were lovingly prepared, doubts tirelessly cleared, and slowly, the stubborn fog of poverty lifted to reveal a sky bright with ambition.
The culmination of this silent revolution arrived on Friday that now stands etched in golden letters for K M Bhaliasahi.
Among the hills, three stars rose including Chandrasekhar Dalai, Hirabati Roito and Anita Dalai, each securing the coveted A1 grade in the High School Certificate examination.
Of the 53 students, all passed -- 3 with A1, 8 with A2, 27 with B1, and 15 with B2 -- propelling the school and the village into a rare spotlight.
Chandrasekhar's humble home, shared with his elder brother pursuing graduation, a sister in Plus 2, and another recently married, is now aglow with the light of inspiration. 'I want to become a teacher,' he says, eyes sparkling with reverence.
'A teacher is the first light in the life of a student', he said.
His journey from tending goats in silent hills to topping State records is not just a personal triumph, but a luminous emblem of possibility. In a district once overshadowed by deprivation, Chandrasekhar has carved a path of hope, proving that even from the humblest soil, greatness can grow.