Malayalam actor Leela Antony appears for Class 10 exams at age of 73. Details here

Our hearts go out to anything that shows grit and determination. The real feather to "adult literacy" was added when a stalwart who has made a name in Malayalam cinema appeared for her class 10 exams. The cinema stalwart is none other than Leela Antony, famous for the role of Aparna’s mother in Maheshinte Prathikaram. The seasoned actress has also appeared in films like Jo and Jo, Makal, etc. On September 12, this determined lady stepped out of her home and came to the examination center.

She and her best friend, Lalitha, were seen at the Cherthala Government Higher Secondary School. They were encouraged by the block Thaikattuserry block coordinator, KK Ramani. Leela was a particular case as she never completed her education and, at the age of 13, she pulled out of school. Her father had died, and she was compelled to take up drama as a breadwinner; since she started to perform at a young age, she didn’t have time for schooling. After the death of her late husband, KL Antony, Leela took up studies. She was used to memorizing her drama script from a young age, so doing the same with her study material was a walk through the park for her.




This reminds us of another famous personality, Shri Om Prakash Chautala, the ex-Chief Minister of Haryana. Salutations to him also for doing the unthinkable at the age of 84 when he passed his class 10 exams. The erstwhile Chief Minister sat for the exams in September 2021 and managed 88 per cent in English.

The seeds of education have been sown in India, and with every passing year, it is beautiful to see such high turnout. With stalwarts like these as motivation, nothing can stop us from turning out the highest literacy figures.

FAQs

What is the literacy rate in India today?
ANSWER: 74.04 per cent, 82.14 for males and 65.46 for females.

What was the literacy percentage of India in 1947?
ANSWER: 12 per cent