Srinagar: The pellets have almost blinded him in the right eye, but that has not deterred 16-year-old Suhaib Nazir from appearing for his Class 10 board exams. He has, in fact, requested doctors to postpone his second surgery till the end of his exams.
"Doctors advised me second surgery but I told them I will first sit in exams and then I will go for surgery... I didn't ask for any help. Despite difficulties I wrote my paper," said the teenager.
Suhaib was hit be pellets fired by security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on July 29.
He didn't even opt for a writing assistant which was offered by the school board authorities to those students who have suffered injuries during the unrest.
Suhaib's courage to overcome the odds has impressed his classmates.
"He was suffering from pellet injuries still he wrote the paper. I was happy that he did it," said Malik Niha.
In a nearby school, another student has been badly hit by pellets. The eyeball in Athar Hussain's left eye has been perforated and even after three surgeries there is no recovery. This week he was scheduled to be operated for the fourth time at Srinagar's SMHS hospital, but Athar decided his exams come first.
"We have to pursue education today. I had to appear in exams. It was difficult to write the paper but I did it," the brave teenager said.
More than 1100 people, mostly teenagers, were hit by pellets in their eyes during the four-month long unrest in the Kashmir valley since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in July. Many of the teenagers have been blinded permanently or partially.
Even as appearing for exams was not an easy choice for them, both Athar and Suhaib say giving up was never an option.
Exams have started in Kashmir after schools remained closed for four months due to the unrest. More than one lakh students have appeared in class 10th and 12th board exams.
"Doctors advised me second surgery but I told them I will first sit in exams and then I will go for surgery... I didn't ask for any help. Despite difficulties I wrote my paper," said the teenager.
Suhaib was hit be pellets fired by security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on July 29.
He didn't even opt for a writing assistant which was offered by the school board authorities to those students who have suffered injuries during the unrest.
Suhaib's courage to overcome the odds has impressed his classmates.
"He was suffering from pellet injuries still he wrote the paper. I was happy that he did it," said Malik Niha.
In a nearby school, another student has been badly hit by pellets. The eyeball in Athar Hussain's left eye has been perforated and even after three surgeries there is no recovery. This week he was scheduled to be operated for the fourth time at Srinagar's SMHS hospital, but Athar decided his exams come first.
"We have to pursue education today. I had to appear in exams. It was difficult to write the paper but I did it," the brave teenager said.
More than 1100 people, mostly teenagers, were hit by pellets in their eyes during the four-month long unrest in the Kashmir valley since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in July. Many of the teenagers have been blinded permanently or partially.
Even as appearing for exams was not an easy choice for them, both Athar and Suhaib say giving up was never an option.
Exams have started in Kashmir after schools remained closed for four months due to the unrest. More than one lakh students have appeared in class 10th and 12th board exams.