Gadag (Karnataka), Jul 3 (IANS): A grieving Class X student wrote her last SSLC board exam in Karnataka's Gadag despite her father passing away early in morning on Friday, an official said.

"Holding back tears, an emotional 16-year-old Anusha Bhajantri mustered the courage to write her last SSLC board exam in Hindi (third language), hours after her father died at home early morning due to sudden illness," Gadag block education officer S.S. Keladi Mata told IANS over phone.

Gadag is about 380 km northwest of Bengaluru.

"Though Anusha had the option of skipping the test and appear in the supplementary board exams due in August, she did not want any further delay, as the exams were already postponed from March due to the Covid-induced extended lockdown. She wrote five subjects since June 25," said Mata.

Anusha is a student of the unaided Thontadavya High School in the town, but her exam centre was at the K.H. Patil high school, a little away from her home.

"Anusha's father Suresh Bhajantri, 58, was ailing for some time after a surgery on his spinal cord at the state-run KIMS hospital in Hubballi, about 55 km away from Gadag," said Mata.

Anusha is the younger daughter of Bhajantri, who was a teacher in the state-run HPS Primary School in Gadag. Her mother Sumithra is also a teacher in the same school.

Anusha rushed home after finishing her exam at 1:30 p.m. for the last rites of her father.

"The state education department has given Rs 15,000 to Anusha's family for the funeral expenses of Bhajantri, as he was still in service," added Mata.