Catholic girl from poor family tops plus 2 exam in Odisha

By Purushottam Nayak

Bhubaneswar, Aug 12, 2022: A daily wager’s daughter has created history by topping the senior secondary school examination in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.

Monisha Pradhan secured 554 of the total 600 marks in the Council of Higher Secondary Education. The results were published August 8.

Monisha is the daughter of Bisikesana Pradhan and Santoshini Pradhan of Nilakandar Sahi village in Daringbadi, Kandhamal. The area comes under the archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. She is the fourth among six children of the Catholic tribal family.

“I have achieved this due to the blessings of Jesus the Lord, constant support and encouragement of my parents, inspiration of my teachers and my hard work,” Monisha told Matters India.

She said she wanted to take up science stream but could not do so because of financial constraints. “Now, I have a big dream to become an IAS officer,” she said.

The grade 12 board examination was conducted in Odisha from April 28 to May 31. A total of 321,508 students appeared for Arts, Science, Commerce and Vocational streams. The number of students passed in Arts stream was 171,288.

Father of Monisha, Bisikesana lost his parents when he was 8. He used to graze cattle , ride bullock carts for a living. He came to Daringbadi as daily wage laborer. He worked as helper in the truck. Then he learnt driving. He came to Nillakantha Sahi and settled down in the veranda of a shop and continued to go for daily labour.

“I have great faith in Jesus Christ. I never missed Sunday liturgy,” said the man who married in 1994.

“I am proud of my daughter who has turned tears of sadness into tears of joy,” he told Matters India.

Monisha was born February 11, 2004. She studied in Doberi Seva Ashram, Daringbadi up to grade 3 and then Government Girls’ High School Daringbadi.

“Having come from a poor family with his father being a daily wage earner, her life has never been a bed of roses. Her journey so far is full of twists and turns,” said Father Deepak Baliarsingh, assistant parish priest of Our Lady of Holy Rosary Parish, Daringbadi.

The young woman’s “achievement is exceptional in view of her background and an inspiration for millions of under privileged children of the country,” the priest told Matters India.

Lucky Baliarsingh, a tenth grader and neighbour, said Monisha’s determination and will power was more stronger than her financial crisis. “She is a source of inspiration for all in Odisha,” she told Matters India.