By Satish Kumar Dash

Copyright timesnownews

Mahesh Panda, a blind teacher from Jajpur district in Odisha, cleared the Odisha Civil Services Examination 2023 on his third attempt, securing the 300th rank. The results for the state civil services exam were released on Friday (September 26). He has been working as an Odia teacher at Adarsha Vidyalaya in Kuleilo, Athagarh, Cuttack district since 2016. Mahesh, hailing from Bada Biruhan village in the Korei block of Jajpur district, is the youngest among five siblings and has been visually impaired since childhood. His father, Laxmi Narayan, supported his family of seven by farming, but his son’s blindness worried him. Despite receiving the best possible treatment and visiting several eye hospitals in the state, doctors were unable to restore Mahesh’s sight. However, Mahesh didn’t give up. He completed high school in 2009 from the School for the Blind in Nuapada, Cuttack, using the Braille script. He graduated from Ravenshaw University and earned a BEd degree from the Central University of Koraput. He then earned a postgraduate degree in Odia language from Utkal University. After completing high school, further education became challenging when his father, the only breadwinner in the family, fell ill. Two kind-hearted villagers, along with the Yug Nirman Vidya Parishad and Gayatri Mission in Cuttack, funded his further education. Recalling those days, Mahesh says, “Without their help, it would have been difficult to reach.” Mahesh had to balance teaching and preparing for the OCS exam. He also thanked Lord Jagannath, his family, and friends for helping him achieve this success.