Little star shines at Kerala budget speech

Malappuram: N.P. Sneha, a plus-two student, has become a celebrity  with the presentation of the state budget by  Finance Minister Thomas  Isaac on Friday. In his speech, Dr Isaac  mentioned about her poem titled Lab along with that of renowned women writers such as K.R. Meera and Khadeeja Mumthas. He also later commented about it  in his Facebook post and said,   “her 12 lines could clearly depict the invisible sweat of women in kitchens.”

Sneha,  studying in the  MNKM Government  Higher Secondary School at Pulapatta in Palakkad district,  had received  first prize for the  poem in the Cherpulasseri sub-district  school Kalolsavam in 2015. “It was also well-received  by several Facebook users when it was shared on the social media by one of the jury members of the Kalolsavam,” she said.  

She was busy with a practical session in the school lab on Friday when she got a surprise  call from the finance minister’s office. It was  to inform her that her work ‘Lab’ had  got a mention in this year’s budget speech and that it had  become  part of the Assembly record. “I was  astonished  when the principal entered the physics lab and handed over the call to me,” she said. Her father N.K. Pradeep   is a contractor and mother  A.V. Sheeba  a teacher at GLP School, Pulluvayalkunnu.