Berhampur, June 15: Braving all odds, Narayan Mallick, 18, a poor orphan from Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district, secured 13th rank in all India medical entrance examination in the Scheduled Tribes category. The results were published yesterday.

Narayan had lost his father Dandapani Mallick last year and mother Brundabati three years ago.

"I had never dreamt of achieving this feat. I cried remembering my father and mother when I came to know my result," said Narayan.

Narayan aspires to become a neurologist. "My father, who retired as a peon of the public works department, died last year. I, therefore, vowed to be a neurologist to help the poor and needy patients," said the youth.

"I was studying Plus Two science in Khallikote Junior College when some of my seniors, who were well aware of my poverty, advised me to approach Sudhir Rout of Aryabhatta Coaching Centre. It changed my life completely."

"I owe a lot to Sudhir Rout, the founder of the coaching centre, who gave me free coaching, motivated myself to be successful and provided me with study materials," he said.

Sudhir Rout, the founder of Aryabhatta Coaching Centre, said he had decided to provide financial help to Narayan to continue his medical education. "Narayan is meritorious and needs proper nourishment," he said.

"I have been providing free coaching to poor students since 2006. I admit five to six poor students in every batch for free coaching. It gives me immense pleasure when they emerge successful," said Rout.

"I always wanted to study in IIT. The entrance examination fee for IIT was Rs 25 and the minimum qualification was pre-university. But I was unable to arrange the money," Rout recalled.