Mangala Muduli Creates History, First Bonda Tribe From Odisha To Crack NEET

Bhubaneswar: Malkangiri’s Mangala Muduli is on his way to creating history. When he completes his MBBS, he will become the first from Odisha’s Bonda tribe to become a doctor. The youngster recently cracked the NEET 2024 and was allotted a seat at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.

Odisha ST & SC Development Department praised Mangala for his success in the NEET and for securing a place in the state’s premier medical institution.

The tribal boy had nursed the dream of becoming a doctor right from childhood. His family’s adverse circumstances did not make the journey easy for him. Having completed his schooling at Mudulipada SSD High School, he pursued +2 science at SSD higher secondary school Baladiaguda, Mathili, and cleared the NEET in the first attempt.

Moved by the fact that there was no minimum healthcare facility and road connectivity in his village and having seen people suffering from lack of even basic healthcare services, Mangala was determined to change the situation but he did not how. He had no idea about NEET. He was under the impression that he could opt for medical studies upon completing +2 in science.

Realising his potential and determination, his schoolteachers stepped in to guide him. One of them bought him a mobile phone for his studies. Mangala said he would climb atop trees to download study material on his phone as there was no mobile tower in the village.

He credits all his teachers, especially Utkal Keshari Das, who even gave him space at his home and coached him for NEET at Erada in Bhadrak district. Ironically, not used to the comfort of an AC, the youngster fell sick and started keeping unwell. At one point, he even wanted to give up but his teacher egged him on to study. Mangala feels happy that he kept working towards his goal with his teacher’s encouragement and has made him proud.

“He was always exceptional in academics, so I advised him to appear for the NEET exam. I helped him join a coaching institute in Balasore and the centre waived off his entire fee of Rs 1.20 lakh,” Times of India quoted his science teacher Utkal Keshari Das as saying.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated Bonda tribe boy on his success. “He has proved that success can be achieved even in adverse situation with strong willpower and determination. He is an inspiration for the tribal community,” he wrote on X.

Former Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, took to X to congratulate Mangala Muduli. He wrote: “Strong willpower and hard work are the keys to success. Mangala Muduli from Mudulipada Banda Ghati in Malkangiri District is a shining example of this. His determination has paved the way for him to study medicine. This achievement is a source of inspiration for all. Wishing him a bright future.”