His family’s financial position was not a deterrent for Nalla Ramu, son of a mechanic, to do well in studies and he proved it by topping the IIT-JEE examination in the OBC category recently.

By bagging 362nd rank in the examination, he showed that poverty is no hindrance in education. Even before his achievement sank in, Ramu and his father Nalla Vishwanatham are worried about arranging funds to be paid during his admission into a premier institution. In the online choice of institutions held recently, Ramu has opted for mechanical engineering and computer science at IIT Mumbai, Kanpur and other places. If he gets a seat in any of these institutions, which he is sure of, he will have to pay Rs. 60,000 in the first instalment before July 4 and another Rs. 50,000 for hostel facility.

His father Vishwanatham expressed helplessness as he fears that he may not be able to raise enough funds for his son’s admission.

Ramu, who consistently performed well in studies in school and college, belongs to a weaver community. He studied in Husnabad till fifth standard and joined the AP Social Welfare Residential School in Rukmapur. After eighth standard, he joined Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Choppadandi.

As he scored high in Matriculation, Sri Gayatri Junior College in Hyderabad offered him a free seat with hostel facilities. He secured 98.5 per cent in Intermediate and bagged 464 rank in Eamcet held recently. His aims to become a mechanical engineer and also wants to be a civil servant.

Ramu appealed to philanthropists to help him in furthering his studies and said that he would help others in future.