Thrissur: When Naushad asked his student to take a seat behind him on his three-wheeler scooter, he had two clear goals in mind. One was to safely complete the 245-kilometre journey from Kollam to Thrissur. The other was to help the boy riding pillion, Muhammed Hidayathulla, secure an A grade at the Kerala School Kalolsavam. Having achieved both, the teacher and his disciple are now sharing smiles of quiet confidence.

Naushad’s face speaks before words do. Polio might have rendered his legs weak in early childhood, though it could never dull his passion for art.

Muhammed Hidayathulla, a Class 10 student of SBVHS Government Higher Secondary School, Panmana, near Chavara, in Kollam, has won an A grade for an Arabic song in the High School category. Hidayathulla’s father had initially planned to accompany him to the festival, but injuries sustained in an accident left him unable to travel. With no one else available, the responsibility of escorting the student to the Kalolsavam venue in Thrissur was taken up by Y Naushad, a differently-abled Arabic teacher at the school.

Naushad contracted polio at the age of one and a half, which has left his legs paralysed. Because of this, travelling independently by switching between trains and buses is not possible for him. So when he suggested making the journey by his three-wheeler scooter, the student readily agreed.

The journey began at 10 am on Tuesday from Kollam. By the time they reached Kottayam, the skies had opened up. Through traffic jams, relentless rain, and mile after mile of road, they pressed on, reaching Thrissur close to 10 pm, almost 12 hours later. Undeterred by the long journey, the duo arrived at the festival venue high in spirits. The effort was rewarded when Hidayathulla earned yet another A grade, his third at the state level.