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Success Story: Mahi Deshwandikar of Mumbai took the 10th examination between serious illness and oxygen support and scored 86% marks. Studied with the help of ‘home schooling’, this inspirational success with the help of mother-father and teachers …Read more

Mahi Deshwandikar
A serious illness was detected at the age of 8 years
Mahi came to know at the age of just eight that she is struggling with an incurable disease named Cystic Fibrosis. This disease makes the lungs weak and the body’s immunity also decreases. This also keeps the risk of infection. On the advice of doctors, Mahi stopped getting out of the house for two years. She is a student of Oak High School, Kalyan West.
Mahi could not go to school due to illness, but her studies did not stop. He decided to study from home. Mother Sharmila Deshvandikar helped her biggest. She would go to school and study, then returned home and explained to Mahi. The teacher also used to help Mahi’s studies on video calls. Mahi used to study 8 to 9 hours every day.
Fear came before the exam, but the courage did not break
Mahi’s health deteriorated considerably just before the tenth examination. He felt scared that he could not take the exam. But Mahi did not lose courage. Fighting the disease, he handled herself and appeared in the examination. It was not easy to reach the examination center – Mahi could not walk, so her father picked her up in her lap and took her to the center and also took the oxygen cylinders.
Balakrishna Shinde, a teacher of Oak High School, said, “Mahi is stubborn but equally smart. We helped him every possible and we became emotional after seeing his hard work.” Mahi’s mother said, “She never gave up, she kept studying everyday by fighting herself.”
What did Mahi say in a conversation with Local 18?
Talking to Local 18, Mahi said, “I could never go to school, but did not give up the dream of studying. With the help of parents and teachers, I did this.” This success of Mahi is not just numbers, but also a victory of spirit and hope.