Juwana, a 47-year-old woman from Kanhangad in Kasaragod, had a dream she once shared with her late father, Abdul Razak- to become a doctor. Life, however, took a different turn after his sudden death and her marriage soon after. Two decades later, this mother of four has cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in her first attempt and is now set to pursue a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course at a private medical college near her home.

Her biggest inspiration and support came from her family — her husband, Dr Abdulla K P, an ENT specialist at the Kanhangad District Hospital, and their three children, who are all medical students.

“It was my father’s dream. I was very close to him, but I didn’t take studies seriously back then,” recalls Juwana. A BSc Zoology graduate, she enrolled for an MSc in Medical Pharmacology in Mangaluru in 1999. However, midway through her course, her father passed away from a heart attack. Grief and depression followed, and her family soon arranged her marriage to Dr Abdulla in 2000. “My father always wanted me to marry a doctor. After marriage, my husband told me I could decide whether to continue studying, but I chose to stop.”

Over the years, family life took over. “I was happy being a wife and mother, and my husband and family gave me endless support,” she says. But the spark to study reignited during the COVID-19 lockdown. “While watching my second son’s online higher secondary classes, I thought the syllabus looked manageable. In 2022, the upper age limit of the NEET exam was removed, and along with that, when my daughter scored high in the entrance, I told my husband I wanted to try too,” she says with a smile.

This time, she was determined. Her husband took care of all formalities, while her children helped her prepare. “I had all their study materials at home. If I had doubts, I just asked them,” she says.

Preparation, however, was far from routine. “I studied only when I felt like it. Biology was easier, but physics was too tough, so I skipped that part,” she admits. “My husband kept motivating me, saying that since we applied, I should at least give it a try.”

On exam day, she arrived at the exam centre at the Government Polytechnic College, Kasaragod, accompanied by her husband. “A few students thought I was a teacher,” she laughs. “Some of my children’s friends were also there — they were excited to see their friend’s mother writing NEET!”

Along with NEET, she also appeared for the Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical (KEAM) exam and even qualified with a modest rank. “My husband had suggested that if I got into pharmacy, we could start one together,” she says.

For now, Juwana hopes to secure admission at Century Dental College in Kasaragod, close to home. “I don’t want to move away from my family. My children study in different places, and I want to be here when they visit,” she says.

Beyond studies, Juwana loves travelling and exploring new cuisines. “I often go on family trips or outings with my daughters and cousins. My recent trip was to Lakshadweep and then to North India, including Manali and Kashmir. My children’s friends call me a ‘vibe mom,’” she laughs.

For Juwana, this new chapter is not just about fulfilling a childhood dream, but also about proving that it’s never too late to chase one.

Her family stands proudly by her side — husband Dr Abdulla K P, daughter Dr Mariyam Aafrin Abdulla, a house surgeon at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College; sons Salih Abdurrazak (third-year MBBS, Vinayaka Missions Medical College, Karaikal) and Salman Abdul Qadir (second-year MBBS, MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna); and youngest daughter Azeemah, a Plus Two student in Kozhikode.