Visually challenged girl from Kerala tops Class 12 in disabled category

Displaying that disability is not an impediment to success, Kochi girl, Hannah Alice Simon added another feather to her accolades as she secured the first rank in class 12 Board examinations in the disabled category.

She is a motivational speaker, a singer, and a Youtuber and now by scoring 496 out of 500 in CBSE class XII, Hannah is now a topper despite her underlying condition of 'Microphthalmia', a condition that resulted in blindness for her.

A girl of many talents Hannah is not only excelling in her academics but also has launched a book on July 15 which consists of six short stories of six young girls named 'Welcome Home'.

Highlighting her parent's decision of allowing her to attend a normal school, Hannah said," Instead of giving me an education in a school for disabled students, my parents thought of admitting me in a normal school so that I don't face any difficulty for my further studies in college."

She also stressed that she was bullied at school but moved on as she had more and more accomplishments to achieve.

" I was bullied, I was young and I was kept at a distance even when I grew older. But I know that even as I move on in my life, I will face these kinds of challenges. So facing them from at early childhood itself has made me stronger to face bigger challenges in life," she said.

She also noted that her parents treated her no different when it came to studies or opportunities.

" For my parents, I am not special. All three of us are special equally. I am just one among three children. They never told me that I am different. They always said you are just like the other children, I can do anything that the other children can. When my friends were running races, I also wanted to run. My parents used to take me to the school ground and ran with me as they held my hands," she added.

Hannah's father, Simon Mathews credited her mother Lija Simon for Hannah's confidence and attitude.

"When Hannah was a child, she faced bullying in school. Friends kept her out of friendship. Hannah's mother is the main person behind her to pull her up, she supported her all the way. She supported her in such a way that boosted her confidence. All those difficulties made Hannah stronger. Hannah also understood everything pretty well. She accepted the challenges, " said Simon Mathews.

The 19-year-old Humanities student became a topper in the category of students with disabilities in the country. A resident of Kochi, Hannah studied at Rajagiri Christu Jayanthi Public School in Kakkanad here.