VIRUDHUNAGAR: A few years ago, S Yogeshwari of Tamil Nadu had no idea what aerospace engineering was. Today, she is set to join IIT-Bombay to study aerospace engineering. For a rural Virudhunagar girl suffering from dwarfism, it’s been a journey powered by hard work and perseverance, and a helping hand from her teachers and the government.Yogeshwari’s mother, Kanagavalli, works as a daily wage labourer in a fireworks unit, while her father, Selvam, is employed at a tea shop. She did her class XII from a government school near Sattur.“I was drawn to science from class VII, initially leaning towards medical science. In class XII, I discovered aerospace engineering through programmes like the Naan Mudhalvan scheme,” Yogeshwari said, adding that her parents always encouraged her and her two elder brothers to pursue education.Though never a topper, Yogeshwari was eager to learn. Inspired by her brothers – one is pursuing BCom, the other physical education – she decided to appear for JEE-Main after class XII. “I scolded her at first for scoring below 450 marks (in class 12), but she challenged me that she’d do well in JEE. And she did – my tears of anger turned into tears of pride,” said her mother.Yogeshwari attended a 40-day residential JEE-Advanced coaching camp in Erode, despite her parents’ initial worries. “Coming from a Tamil medium background, JEE-Advanced was tough at first. But with my teachers’ help, I cleared it,” she said.Virudhunagar district collector V P Jeyaseelan has assured her full support as she prepares to join IIT-Bombay.