An elderly man made heads turn when he walked into the examination hall to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on May 7 along with youngsters who were of the age of his grandchildren at an examination centre in the city.
The security personnel were baffled when 69-year-old D.K.A.S. Prasad told them that he had come to take the examination.
Stint in VPT
Mr. Prasad, who hailed from the city, had a passion to pursue medicine after completing his PUC (Pre University Course) with botany and zoology.
When he failed to get admission in a government medical college in his first attempt, he had done diploma courses in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He initially joined the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), where he worked for a decade.
Degree from AUCE
During his stint in the VPT, he had obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from Andhra University College of Engineering. He was also selected for the post of Assistant Engineer in NTPC-Vindhyachal in Madhya Pradesh.
During his tenure at Vindhyachal, Mr. Prasad had obtained M.Tech (Energy Management) degree and was later transferred on promotion to NTPC-Simhadri in Visakhapatnam in 2008. He retired as DGM from NTPC-Simhadri in 2013.
Course in homeopathy
“Vindhyachal was an isolated place with hardly any medical facilities in those days. There used to be a satellite hospital to meet emergency medical needs and to treat OP cases of NTPC employees. During my stint in VPT, I had done a certificate course in homeopathy from the World Teacher Trust (WTT) in Visakhapatnam, which helped me in treating my colleagues and family members in emergencies. I used to read books on medicine to know more. I had successfully cured my daughter of measles and treated a few of my colleagues for some halth issues. However, I knew my limitations that I cannot practice medicine without a registration number,” Mr. Prasad told The Hindu.
The removal of the upper age limit for appearing for NEET-2023 has come as a boon to Mr. Prasad.
“I am no match for the young students. But, I had also studied botany and zoology during my PUC. Further, I am confident that my interest in the subject and reading of medical books during my spare time will work out to my advantage and enable me to secure a good rank in the examination,” he said.
Irrespective of his securing admission, Mr. Prasad’s steadfast determination is sure to inspire the younger generation.
