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A young doctor’s story about overcoming the adversity of coming from a poor family has captured the hearts of netizens.

According to Malaysiakini, Dr Nimelesh Balanthiren, 30, lost his father while he was only 11, and was raised by his mother, K Vijayalakshmi, 59, who earned a meagre RM1,000 a month, working as a kindergarten teacher in Georgetown, Penang.

While most people would rejoice if they scored 10 As in their SPM, his mother ended up crying because she feared the only B he got for English in Science and Technology, along with 10As, would make him uneligible for a government scholarship to further his studies, he recalled.

During these times, Nimelesh could not even afford new clothes for Deepavali, nor celebrate birthdays, until he turned 21. Relatives also kept them at bay due to their financial status.

He was relating this on a Twitter post by a user who asked netizens to share the “poorest” moment they have experienced in their lives.

Nimelesh also recalled how he used to walk five kilometres from the family home to the tuition centre, and how his mother cried once when he asked her for RM10 to watch a movie in the cinema, knowing that she could not afford it.

Going through hardship made him realise that education was the only way to claw his way out of poverty.

His excellent SPM results managed to secure him a Public Service Department (JPA) scholarship to study medicine at the Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy in Russia, and he is currently training to be a family medicine specialist – a Masters programme, at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Nimelesh and his mother, to whom he attributes his success, have since relocated to Selangor from Penang.

“Don’t give up. There will be times when you will feel down. Just work hard. With hard work, we can change our lives,” said the young doctor who hopes his journey will inspire other youths to strive for excellence.

Nimelesh’ sharing impressed Twitteratis, who called him and inspiration and wished him the best of luck.
Source: Malaysiakini/Twitter
Photo source: Malaysiakini/Twitter