This 26-year-old visually challenged law student is indeed a number-cruncher. He does multiplication till 56 lakh and has 25,000 cellphone numbers on the tip of his tongue. Siddu S Loute from Athani taluk of Belgaum was here recently to sell his CD on personality development for students and visually challenged to boost their confidence to succeed in their respective professions.

Siddu said he does not depend on his parents -- Shankar and Seetha -- who are agriculturists in Athani for money to fund his education. Instead, he conducts spoken English classes for students and also works part time as an anchor at a TV channel. Siddu told reporters that visually and physically challenged persons should not depend on anyone, as many would discriminate them. "I'm preparing for IAS exams to prove that visually impaired can also achieve like others," he added. He urged the government and NGOs to help visually impaired persons take up competitive exams. Siddu, who is pursing fifth year LLB at MS Ramaiah College in Bangalore, wants to serve the poor by becoming an IAS officer. Siddu wants the government and NGOs to help visually impaired persons take up competitive examinations.