Nepal's 68-year-old student
Nepalese grandfather Durga Kami brushes his bushy white beard, puts on his school uniform and, with the aid of his walking stick, trudges for over an hour to class for another day of learning.
Poverty prevented Kami finishing his studies as a child and achieving his goal of becoming a teacher, but he is making up for lost time at 68-years-old.
Here, he poses with his young fellow students for a group picture in their classroom at Shree Kala Bhairab Higher Secondary School in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
Photos by Navesh Chitrakar/REUTERS
68-year-old student
The father of six and grandfather of eight goes to school six days a week to complete his studies and escape a lonely home life following the death of his wife.
Walking into the Shree Kala Bhairab higher secondary school and the buzz created by 200 children is a welcome contrast to the hush of the isolated one-room home, with its leaking roof and frequent power cuts, where Kami lives in Syangja district, some 250 km (155 miles) west of Nepal's capital Kathmandu.
Here, Durga Kami, who is studying in the tenth grade at Shree Kala Bhairab Higher Secondary School, prepares dinner at his one-room house in Syangja, Nepal, June 4, 2016.
68-year-old student
"To forget my sorrows I go to school," said Kami, one of the oldest students in Nepal.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami puts on his school uniform, which was provided by the school for free, as he gets ready for class in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami adjusts his school uniform tie as he gets dressed in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami poses for a picture wearing his school uniform at the door of his one-room house in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
Kami, whose children have all left his hilltop home, first went to Kaharay primary school where he learnt to read and write with the seven and eight year olds before leaving after finishing grade five with the 11-year-olds.
Here, he answers a question from his teacher as he attends a class in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
The 20 children in his grade 10 class have dubbed Kami 'Baa', which means 'father' in Nepali, but despite his age their elderly classmate joins in all activities, including volleyball in the schoolyard.
68-year-old student
Villagers smile as they see Durga Kami while he walks toward school in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami is seen through the window as he prepares dinner for himself at his one room house in Syangja, Nepal, June 4, 2016.
The school scholarship does not stretch to cover food, though, meaning Kami's breakfast of rice with a fermented green vegetable known as 'Gundruk' must sustain him until dinner.
68-year-old student
Shree Kala Bhairab teacher D.R Koirala invited Kami to his school, which provided the grandfather with stationary and a school uniform including grey trousers, blue striped tie and white shirt.
"This is my first experience teaching a person who is as senior as my father's age," Koirala said. "I feel very excited and happy."
Durga Kami receives help to fill out his registration form to apply for the upcoming School Leavers Certificate Exams in Syangja, Nepal, June 6, 2016.
68-year-old student
"I used to think 'why is this old man coming to school to study with us?' but as time passed I enjoyed his company," Kami's 14-year-old class mate Sagar Thapa said.
"He is a little bit weak in studies compared to us but we help him out with that."
68-year-old student
Kami said he wanted to study until his death, adding he hoped it would encourage others to ignore age obstacles.
"If they see an old person with white beard like me studying in school they might get motivated as well," he said.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami takes a rest as he walks to school in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.
68-year-old student
Durga Kami walks outside the school in Syangja, Nepal, June 5, 2016.