Bhubaneswar: Daughter of a poor tribal farmer and an orphaned student from remote areas of Odisha have brought glory to the state by clearing the medical entrance exam NEET to study MBBS.
Displaying extraordinary grit, determination and dedication, Leeza Majhi of Sundargarh and orphaned tribal student Neera Mallick of Gajapati have secured MBBS seats in government medical colleges in the state.
Daughter of a tribal farmer, Leeza has cleared NEET and secured admission in the Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital in Odisha.
After completing matriculation from Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya (OAV) in Bamra with 82 per cent marks, she was selected to study Science at the OAV Iconic in Bhubaneswar. She secured 81.6 per cent marks in class 12 board examinations, said an official statement.
Leeza’s perseverance and dedication bore fruit when she qualified NEET and fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor, it added.
Leeza started her journey from the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) in Bamra in 2021. She expressed gratitude to KGBV for providing free residential education, mentoring, and holistic support that helped shape her academic path, the statement said.
KGBVs are special residential schools set up by the Centre to provide quality education to underprivileged and out-of-school adolescent girls from disadvantaged communities.
“Leeza’s success is not just an individual triumph, but a symbol of hope for countless girls across rural Odisha. Her journey from the KGBV to the medical college shows that education is the most powerful tool of empowerment,” a KGBV official said.
Equally inspiring has been the journey of Neera, a 21-year-old orphaned tribal student from a remote village in Gajapati district’s Mohana block. He has been selected to study MBBS at the government-run Sri Jagannath Medical College and Hospital in Puri.
Hailing from Dumiguda village in Adava panchayat, he secured admission in the first round of the ongoing medical college admissions after clearing NEET-2025 in his second attempt. He secured a state rank of 3,856 in the general category and 72 in the scheduled tribe (ST) category.
After passing Class X with 88% from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in 2019, Neera decided not to pursue higher studies as he was suffering from tuberculosis. His mother was also afflicted with paralysis, while his elder brother, Pira (27) had moved to Kerala for employment. His father, Sania Mallick, died in 2014.
“I could not take admission after Class X as I was the only one to look after my mother. I took admission in Plus II in Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya, Gundima in Mohana block, after my elder brother came back home,” he said.
Before the annual Plus II examination, his ailing mother died in 2022. Neera then decided to take up cultivation and help his brother financially without pursuing higher studies. However, activists from Bipadara Bandhu, an organisation supporting poor students, approached Nira to continue his studies and prepare for competitive examinations. “They also arranged a seat for me at Aryabhatta, a coaching institute in Berhampur to take coaching for NEET free of cost,” he said.
“We have provided free coaching to him for the last two years after assessing his financial condition and his dedication to study,” said Sudhir Rout, director of the organisation. “Due to his determination and hard work, he was able to secure a seat in a government medical college, overcoming all odds,” Rout said.
Bipadara Bandhu liaised with another organisation that provides financial assistance to impoverished medical students to study MBBS. Neera expressed gratitude to both the organisations for shaping his career.