96-year-old Karthyayini Amma gets laptop as a gift from Kerala minister after topping literacy exam

Amma was the oldest candidate among 43,330 applicants who appeared for 'Aksharalaksham' programme, a flagship initiative of the state-run Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority. In the exam, she scored the highest marks and topped the test with 98 marks out of 100.

Karthyayani Amma, who had secured 98 per cent marks in a literacy exam at the age of 96, has got a laptop as gift from the government. (ANI)

New Delhi: Kerala's great granny Karthyayani Amma, who had secured 98 percent marks in a literacy exam at the age of 96, desired to learn computers. Amma was asked whether she wanted to learn computers, in the quick reply she had said, "I will study if I get one." To her amazement, the minister of the state gave her the "surprise gift" by the government - a laptop. Amma was the oldest candidate among 43,330 applicants who appeared for 'Aksharalaksham' programme, a flagship initiative of the state-run Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority. In the exam, she scored the highest marks and topped the test with 98 marks out of 100. As a gesture of appreciation for the achievement, state Education Minister C Raveendranath Wednesday handed over a new laptop to Amma after visiting her at her home in coastal Cheppad village of Alappuzha district. The minister also found time to initiate the nonagenarian into the world of computers by helping her to press the keys. Before leaving, the minister extended full support to the further studies of the 'oldest' student of the state, family members said, reported PTI.

Kerala: 96-year-old Karthiyani Amma from Alappuzha who had recently topped 'Aksharalaksham' literacy programme with 98 marks, was gifted a laptop by the state education minister yesterday. Earlier she had expressed her desire to learn computers. pic.twitter.com/sjjLRStCTC

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018

By her achievement, the nonagenarian who hails from Alappuzha has just not made her state proud but has also set an example for the others with her never-too-late spirit! Proving that age is no barrier for learning, Karthyayani Amma had scored 38 out of 40 in writing, and full marks of 30 each in mathematics and reading in the three-module literacy exam. Having cleared the Aksharalaksham exam, she has got direct entry into the 4th grade of the equivalency course of the Literacy Mission. She has also received an 'Aksharalaksham' certificate from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on November 1.