Seventeen-year-old Kafi, a student at Chandigarh’s Institute for the Blind, has become a symbol of strength and determination by securing 95.6% in her CBSE Class 12 board exams. Blinded in an acid attack at the age of three during a family dispute, Kafi’s vision may have been taken away, but not her ambition.
Following years of treatment, she resumed her education, jumping from Class 2 to Class 6 directly. Her father, a peon in the Haryana secretariat, and her homemaker mother, both educated till Class 5, were committed to ensuring she got every opportunity they never had.
“Initially, it was very difficult. But I kept studying and it became easier. My dream is to become an IAS officer. I study for about 2-3 hours daily,” Kafi shared. She had earlier scored 95.2% in Class 10 as well. The family continues to fight a legal battle seeking justice for the attack. “Our fight is on. I am studying hard so that one day, I can fight my case and get justice,” she added.
Kafi isn’t alone in her success. Sumant Poddar and Gursharan Singh also scored 94% and 93.6% respectively. The Institute faces challenges in providing resources, with students often relying on YouTube or having books read aloud to them.
Despite limited access to Braille and audiobooks, these students continue to defy the odds, proving that with resilience and support, no barrier is too great.
