Didayi Girl from Malkangiri Breaks Barriers, Secures MBBS Seat in NEET 2025

Bhubaneswar: Champa Raspeda, daughter of Lachmu Raspeda from Amlibeda village, Korukonda Block, Malkangiri district, has etched her name in history by becoming the first student from the Didayi Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) to crack NEET 2025 and secure admission into Fakir Mohan Medical College & Hospital, Balasore.

Belonging to a humble farming family, Champa’s journey is a tale of determination against all odds. Her father works as a marginal farmer, while her mother is a homemaker. She began her schooling at the PVTG Girls Education Complex, Nandiniguda (Khairput Block) under the ST & SC Development Department, before moving on to SSD Girls’ High School, Chitrakonda, where she completed her matriculation in 2019. She pursued +2 Science at SSD Higher Secondary School, Govindpally, and cleared it in 2021.

Though financial hardships forced her to discontinue her B.Sc. studies, Champa’s dream of becoming a doctor never faded. With encouragement from her former science teacher, Utkala Keshari Dash, she joined free NEET coaching classes in Balasore, where her hard work paid off with resounding success.

Her success story marks a milestone not only for the Didayi community but also for the broader vision of tribal education in Odisha. The Didayi tribe, one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the state, primarily inhabits remote forested areas of Malkangiri’s Kudumulugumma and Khairput blocks. Traditionally dependent on shifting cultivation and forest-based livelihoods, the community has had little access to higher education, especially in professional courses like medicine.

Champa’s achievement is being hailed as a symbol of empowerment and social transformation. Over the past few years, Odisha has witnessed a steady rise in tribal students qualifying NEET and securing MBBS seats in government medical colleges. Her success is expected to inspire many more first-generation learners from marginalized backgrounds.

The State Government has also lauded Champa’s success. Hon’ble Chief Minister expressed his happiness over her achievement through a post on X, terming it a proud moment for the state and a beacon of hope for tribal communities.