ICSE topper Sameera S Prakash wants to be psychiatrist

Thiruvananthapuram: The stigma surrounding mental illness and the hesitation among people in seeking medical help are a cause for concern for society; it is a cause for concern for state ICSE first rank holder Sameera S. Prakash, too. And to do her bit for society, she wants to be a psychiatrist, like her father Dr R. Jayaprakash.  But Sameera wants to be child psychiatrist. It was not in class X that she decided to be a one.

“From the childhood, I had this dream of becoming a doctor,” she said. “The feeling became stronger as I grew up. Moreover mental health is an important field. People fail to seek help when it comes to mental health and in turn, suffer even more.” That her parents are doctors has also influenced her decision.   A student at St Thomas Residential School, Thiruvananthapuram, Sameera had a happy time going through class X, she says.

That was the year she became close to her classmates. It was not all study. There were holidays to nearby destinations like Ponmudi.  She also likes to make designs. Sameera has a liking for writing, and has participated in English poetry recitation competitions. "I read, too. I used to like fiction more and my last book was God of Small Things. It has a different style of writing" she said. So, if you thought that the first rank holder would be a school girl buried in books, you are right. It is just that it was not always school textbooks that she read.