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Muslim Factory Worker's Daughter Tops Ramayana Exam

Muslim Factory Worker's Daughter Tops Ramayana Exam
NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Local actor dressed as the Hindu demon king Ravan as he prepares backstage for a performance of the Ramlila, a dramatisation of Hindu God Rama's life, on September 27, 2014 in New Delhi, India. Ramlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Rama's victory after a ten day battle with the ten headed Demon King Ravana, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Local actor dressed as the Hindu demon king Ravan as he prepares backstage for a performance of the Ramlila, a dramatisation of Hindu God Rama's life, on September 27, 2014 in New Delhi, India. Ramlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Rama's victory after a ten day battle with the ten headed Demon King Ravana, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Amidst raging protests against Bollywood stars and debates on women entering holy shrines, this Muslim girl from Karnataka quietly set an example — even if unwittingly — for religious tolerance in India.

Fathimath Rahila, 13, has scored the highest marks in Puttur, Dakshina Kannada district, in the Ramayana Exam conducted by the Bharat Sanskriti Pratishthan, reported the Times of India. The class 9 student from a Muslim family scored 93% in the test.

Rahila, who is a student of Sarvodaya High School, Sulliapadavu, located on the Karnataka-Kerala border, was keen on pursuing a course in the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Rahila, whose father works in a factory, developed an interest in the Hindu epics during her previous school year. "I prepared from the beginning of the academic year with my uncle's help. And now, I want to appear for the Mahabharata exam as well," she told TOI.

Reportedly, students from class 8 and 9 are allowed to take the exams, but those who are giving their all-important class 10 exams are discouraged from splitting their time.

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