Two decades after he dropped out of school, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislator Sukhram Oraon has passed this year's matriculation examination with three members of his family.
Oraon, who represents Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum district in the Assembly, secured a first division in the examination conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council.
A beaming Oraon told reporters that he wanted to set an example for uneducated people rather than pay lip service to the campaign for basic education for all.
"Frankly, I realised the importance of education more after I took the plunge into politics," he said.
Oraon confided he had learnt that proper education could be helpful in every aspect of life, from running a good administration to doing social work or looking after one's family.
Oraon, who plans to continue his studies, will now seek admission to a college in West Singhbhum. "It has to be within my constituency."
The enterprising legislator, who hoped his feat would egg on uneducated tribal people to follow in his footsteps, appeared for the test with his son Sunny, younger brother and brother-in-law.
Noting that he was happy his son had outscored him by securing 334 marks against his 300, Oraon said the success of his kin -- the younger brother and brother-in-law passed in the second and third division respectively -- testified that if you have the will, you will succeed.
