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By Retha Fitchat (Translated by Carol Pittendrigh)
VAALPARK – To lose both parents on the same day in a freak accident while in a foreign country is surely one of the worst tragedies that can befall any child.
This was the heart-breaking circumstance in which Shruthya Sivakumar (then 13 years old) found herself after her parents died on the evening of March 11, 2016 in a freak road accident in Vanderbijlpark. In spite of this devastating incident, Shruthya carried on, worked conscientiously, and now stars as Vaalpark Articon’s top matriculant of 2019. She achieved 7 distinctions and missed an eighth by a mere 4%.
Shruthya and her older sister Anjana were orphaned in 2016 when their parents, Mr Venkatasubramaniam and Mrs Srividhya Sivakumar, passed away in a fatal accident when Mr Janneman Espach lost control of his car in Hendrik van Eck Boulevard, Vanderbijlpark. The couple were hit while walking on the sidewalk on the way to buy takeaways at a nearby restaurant. Mrs Sivakumar passed away instantly and her husband died soon after in the emergency helicopter on the way to hospital. Mr Espach, a well-known bodybuilder and businessman, also died in the accident.
The Sivakumar family are originally from India but at the time were based in South Africa, where Mr Sivakumar held a managerial post with ArcelorMittal. After the death of their parents, Anjana was appointed guardian of her sister. Both sisters chose to stay in South Africa rather than return to their family abroad.
Anjana, also a past student of Articon, began studying at NWU (Vaal) while Shruthya continued her schooling at Articon.
Articon’s principal, Mr Etienne Engelbrecht, has high praise for the brave and engaging Shruthya. “One can only admire a child that could remain focused & achieve outstanding results in spite of such recent heart-breaking circumstances. Shruthya is a gentle child, never presumptuous, always humble and sincere. She’s a versatile learner and can always be relied on,” says Mr Engelbrecht.
Shruthya has been in Articon since grade 8 and has regularly excelled in maths, biology and physical science Olympiads. In addition to her involvement in school athletics and netball, she’s successfully participated in various dance competitions and performances. She was also treasurer of the student council.
She plans to study aerospace technology at MIT AeroAstro in America. This institution only accepts top students from an international selection and the standard is incredibly tough, says Mr Engelbrecht. “For her entrance application our school had to compile and submit a comprehensive profile, but it was an absolute pleasure to do this for her,” he added.
*Besides Shruthya’s seven distinctions, Articon boasts a number of learners who achieved three and four distinctions. The school offers a dedicated art course and a pure academic course, as well as combinations of art and academic subjects.

SHRUTHYA SKITTER MET 7 A’s ONDANKS HARTVERSKEURENDE TRAGEDIE

Retha Fitchat
VAALPARK. – Om op dieselfde dag albei jou ouers in ‘n fratsongeluk te verloor terwyl julle in ‘n vreemde land is, is seker een van die ergste tragedies wat enige kind kan tref.
Dít was die hartverskeurende omstandighede waarin Shruthya Sivakumar, toe 14, haar bevind het nadat haar ouers die aand van 11 Maart 2016 weens ‘n padongeluk in Vanderbijlpark gesterf het. Ondanks dié verpletterende gebeure het Shruthya opgestaan, pligsgetrou gewerk en skitter sy nou as Vaalpark Articon se topmatrikulant van 2019. Shruthya het sewe onderskeidings behaal en haar agtste met net
4% gemis.
Shruthya en haar ouer suster, Anjana, is in Maart 2016 wees gelaat nadat hul ouers, mnr. Venkatasubramaniam en mev. Srividhya Sivakumar noodlottig deur die motor van mnr. Janneman Espach getref is toe hy in Hendrik van Eck-boulevard, Vanderbijlpark, beheer daaroor verloor het. Die egpaar is op die sypaadjie getref waar hulle gestap het om kitskos by ‘n nabygeleë restaurant te gaan koop. Mev. Sivakumar het op slag gesterf en haar man ‘n rukkie later in die noodhelikopter op pad hospitaal toe. Mnr. Espach, destyds ‘n bekende liggaamsbouer en sakeman, het ook in die ongeluk beswyk.
Die Sivakumar-gesin was oorspronklik van Indië maar het hulle tydelik in Suid-Afrika gevestig, waar mnr. Sivakumar in ‘n bestuurspos by ArcelorMittal gewerk het. Na hul ouers se dood is Anjana as haar kleinsus Shruthya se voog aangestel. Albei sussies het verkies om in Suid-Afrika aan te bly eerder as om na hul familie in die buiteland terug te keer.
Anjana, ook ‘n oudleerling van Articon, het intussen as student aan die NWU (Vaal) begin studeer terwyl Shruthya haar skoolloopbaan by Articon voortgesit het.
Articon se skoolhoof, mnr. Etienne Engelbrecht, het net lof vir die knap en innemende Shruthya. “’n Mens kan net bewondering hê vir ‘n kind wat ondanks sulke hartseer omstandighede stabiel kon bly en steeds uitmuntende resultate kon behaal. Shruthya is ‘n sagte kind, glad nie voorbarig nie, altyd nederig en opreg. Sy is ‘n veelsydige leerder en ‘n ware staatmaker,” sê mnr. Engelbrecht.
Shruthya was vanaf haar graad 8-jaar in Articon en het gereeld in wiskunde-, lewenswetenskap- en fisiese wetenskap-olimpiades uitgeblink. Buiten haar betrokkenheid by die skool se atletiek en netbal het sy deur die jare ook met groot sukses aan verskeie danskompetisies en opvoerings deelgeneem. Sy was ook tesourier in haar skool se leerlingraad.
Sy beplan om ruimte-ingenieurswese aan MIT AeroAstro in Amerika te gaan studeer. Dié instansie neem net toppresteerders van oor die hele wêreld as studente in en die keuring is geweldig streng, sê mnr. Engelbrecht.
“Vir haar aansoek om toelating moes ons skool ‘n omvattende profiel oor haar saamstel en instuur, maar dit was ‘n absolute plesier om dit vir haar te doen,” sê hy.
* Buiten Shruthya se sewe onderskeidings spog Articon ook met ‘n hele aantal leerders wat drie en vier onderskeidings behaal het. Die skool bied tans ‘n toegespitste kunsbaan, ‘n suiwer akademiese baan sowel as ‘n kombinasie van kuns- en akademiese vakke aan.

SIEN VAALWEEKBLAD VAN 22 JANUARIE VIR NOG BERIGTE OOR DIE VAALDRIEHOEK SE TOPPRESTEERDERS!

FOTO: Só het Vaalweekblad in 2016 oor die ongeluk berig waarin Shruthya Sivakumar se ouers in Vanderbijlpark gesterf het.