Date:18/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/18/stories/2007011801570500.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Stellar performance despite living on the margin

Rishikesh Bahadur Desai

Two students, sons of a farmer and a policeman, have won 26 gold medals

GOLDEN HARVEST: T.V. Shivashankar (left) and Naveen A.N. at the Karnataka Veterinary University convocation in Bidar on Wednesday.

Bidar: Two boys who struggled to pool money to fund their education have won a total of 26 gold medals at the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University in Bidar on Wednesday.

T.V. Shivashankar, son of a marginal farmer has won 11 gold medals and Naveen A.N., whose father is a police constable, 15.

They are both studying Master's degrees and plan to be researchers.

While Dr. Shivashankar wants to develop advanced methods of animal rearing and increasing their production, Dr. Naveen wants to develop medicines and invent vaccines.

Dr. Shivashankar thanked his parents who went through testing times and borrowed hand loans from people to pay his fees.

"I have seen my father stuck in his farm with a stagnant income from animal rearing. I don't want other farmers to go through a similar crisis," he said.

Dr. Naveen thanked his father who believed in his son's abilities and let him choose his subject of interest. He acted against advice by many and sent me to college.

"I think I have proved worthy of myself," he said. The two told presspersons they were proud of their college. They thanked their teachers and felt that veterinary education in India was one of the best in the world.