TN Class 12 Student Writes Board Exam Hours After Losing Mother, Then Performs Last Rites

Sunilkumar, a Class 12 student at a government-aided school, chose to attend his Tamil exam despite facing a personal tragedy.

Despite the immense grief, Sunilkumar made the difficult decision to proceed with his exam, knowing that education was his mother’s biggest dream for him.

Source : Pexels

In a remarkable display of resilience and determination, a 17-year-old boy from Valliyoor, Tirunelveli district, sat for his Class 12 public examination on Monday, just hours after losing his mother. Sunilkumar, a Class 12 student at a government-aided school, chose to attend his Tamil exam despite facing a personal tragedy.

A Heartbreaking Morning

On the morning of March 4, Sunilkumar’s mother, Subalakshmi (40), who had been battling a heart ailment, collapsed and passed away, as per a report on The Hindu. The tragedy struck just before he was about to leave for his examination. Subalakshmi, a widow, had been the sole caregiver for Sunilkumar and his younger sister, Yuvahisini, ever since their father, Krishnamoorthy, passed away six years ago.

Despite the immense grief, Sunilkumar made the difficult decision to proceed with his exam, knowing that education was his mother’s biggest dream for him. He sought his mother's blessing by falling at the feet of the body placed at his home. 

Sunilkumar wrote his Tamil exam in the forenoon, displaying unwavering focus and strength. Only after completing the test did he return home to perform his mother’s last rites in the afternoon, reported Times of India. His classmates rushed to his home to offer their condolences and support.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), TN CM Stalin said, "This is the Tamil community! Education is more important than our lives! If there's any trouble for Tamils, the sound of the echo will be truly deafening!"

Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi personally reached out to Sunilkumar to offer his condolences and support.

The minister wrote on X: "We spoke to student Sunilkumar. We shared his grief as a brother and conveyed the message of the Honorable Chief Minister: 'Face the exams with courage. We will always support you.' Sunilkumar should succeed in life through education. That would be his mother’s greatest wish."