Orphaned Odisha Girl Tops Diploma Entrance Test

Cuttack: Unfazed by the loss of her parents in her childhood, a 15-year-old girl of Cuttack district has achieved a unique milestone by topping the Diploma Entrance Test, the result of which was announced recently.

A native of Narasinghpur, Sharmistha Mohapatra was brought up by her uncle, but he too passed away when she was a Class X student.

The district administration then came to her rescue and ensured her admission to Shobhaniya Sikshashram at Bidanasi in Cuttack city with the assistance of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). During her stay at Sikshashram, Sharmistha pursued her studies diligently and topped the entrance test.

“I do not know when my parents left me as I was a child then. The death of my uncle had hit me hard. With the help of the Narasinghpur BDO, I got the opportunity to study at Sikshashram, where all staff cared for me like my parents,” she said.

Sikshashram director Dr Arundhati Devi said Sharmistha is determined to become self-reliant and aims to be an IAS officer.

Praising the determination and willpower of Sharmistha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in a tweet, wished her a bright future. The manner in which she achieved success by braving all odds, she has become a role model for everyone, he added.