Keralam tribal girl’s MBBS dream brought to fruition, courtesy a STEM education initiative

Ashwathi Mol K.P., a tribal girl from the Malavedan community in Chollanavayal settlement, Ranni Assembly constituency, Pathanamthitta district, has fulfilled her dream of pursuing an MBBS degree at Government Medical College, Kannur. Despite facing numerous challenges, Ashwathi’s determination and support from a STEM education initiative called ‘Collector’s Super 100’ helped her achieve this remarkable feat.

Born to a daily-wage laborer and a homemaker, Ashwathi had to overcome hardships growing up. When she was in Class X, she experienced firsthand the lack of medical facilities in her community, seeing her aunt suffer from cancer. This prompted her to decide she wanted to become a doctor. Her settlement had no doctors, forcing residents to seek medical help in nearby settlements or at Ranni taluk hospital.

After completing Class X from Bethany High School, Ranni-Perunad, Ashwathi moved to Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Model Residential Higher Secondary School, Kattela, in Thiruvananthapuram, to pursue her higher secondary education. Reflecting on her journey, Ashwathi credits the ‘Super 100’ STEM education initiative, implemented by the district administration of Thiruvananthapuram in collaboration with Kanal Innovations Charitable Trust, Women and Child Development department, and Trenser Technology Solutions, Technopark, for playing a pivotal role in her success.

The initiative provided Ashwathi with career guidance, mentoring, personality development, and interactions with experts, including doctors, IAS officers, and civil service representatives. These interactions instilled confidence in her, guiding her to focus on her goals and study better for the medical entrance exams. Ashwathi also benefited from near-peer mentoring, where she was coached by young engineer and doctor volunteers who were only a few years older than her.

Despite her initial attempt to secure a medical seat through the NEET exams in 2025, Ashwathi faced disappointment when she did not secure a spot. However, she persevered, attending coaching classes to retake the exams. Her perseverance paid off when she secured a Scheduled Tribe category rank of 19 in the re-exams.

Ashwathi’s parents are overjoyed that their daughter will be the first from their settlement to become a doctor. While some of her tuition and other fees are waived, she still needs to find funds for her hostel stay, other fees, and daily expenses. However, Ashwathi remains undeterred, confident that opportunities will arise to help her fulfill her dream of becoming an oncologist.