Berhampur: Lgna Pradhan, daughter of an Asha worker in Ganjam district’s Sidhipur in Polasara block, has cracked NEET-UG this year.Lgna, who studied in govt-run school and colleges in classes X and XII, has clinched all-India rank (AIR) of 60,281 along with a category rank 29,819, and hopes to get a seat in govt-run medical college in Odisha to study MBBS.Lgna, 19 who lost her father about eight years ago, qualified in the country’s premier medical entrance exam in her second chance. “I hope to get a seat at MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, to study MBBS as I have two categories-OBC and also the state govt quota for reading in the govt school in Class X,” said Pradhan.The journey to qualify for NEET, however, was not so easy for her. Her four-member family became dependent on her mother’s earnings following death of her father, when she was studying in Class V. Her mother Anita Pradhan was working as farm labourer in the village, before shifting to Berhampur after her Class X.“Though I have wanted to become a doctor in future, I had no idea how to achieve it till I had passed Class X in the village school,” she said. While I had joined Plus II at Khallikote Junior College here, I was also taking coaching for the NEET exam. Her mother andother family members had shifted to Berhampur due to financial problems.Her mother was working as a cook in a private hostel to support her family. She, however, shifted to the village last year and worked as an Asha worker.
