As soon as the SSLC exam results were out on the Net, toppers were flooded with calls and congratulatory messages from their friends, well wishers and the media. The top spot went to Vijaya High School’s Sudhindra M.S. who secured an astonishing 622 out of 625, a record.
He was pretty much matter-of-fact about scoring centum in Maths, Science, Social Studies and Sanskrit. His ecstatic parents, Suryanarayana Somayaji, who works at a canteen, and Savithri M.S, a homemaker, were surrounded by media persons waiting to interview them and their son. The shy couple was modest, saying their only contribution to his remarkable achievement had been constant encouragement.
As for the imperturbable Sudhindra, he said: “I studied four to five hours every day and revised everything that the teachers taught him the same day. My parents and teachers motivated me the whole time.”
He said his ambition was pursue CA but his more immediate goal was securing a commerce seat in a reputed Pre-University college in Bangalore.
His delighted headmistress, S. Geetha, was full of praises for him. “Our school is proud of him. He is a very well behaved and level-headed student who always topped his class and has always studied well.”
Shared second rank
The second spot was shared by three youngsters, all of who secured 621 marks: Nagarjuna K. from Holy Child High School, Bangalore; Manvitha M.K. of Vishwa Mangala English Medium High School, Mangalore; and Prerna M.R. from Sri Adichunchanagiri English High School, Shimoga.
“I put in my full effort from the day one,” an elated Nagarjuna told The Hindu . His aim is to crack the IIT-JEE after pursuing PU science. He has always liked science and mathematics but found Kannada a little difficult.
Speaking to reporters at her school Monday afternoon, surrounded by her teachers and parents, Manvitha said: “I did not expect a top rank but I expected good marks.”
Her mother, Shobha M., said that she had only guided her daughter, who studied on her own. Mohan Das, her businessman father, said he mentored her in co-curricular activities, especially in art and volleyball. Both said she was interested in science but that it was left to her to choose whatever she wished to study.
Five in third spot
The third spot was grabbed by five students, all of who scored 620. They are Rohini R., St. Thomas Medium High School, Kanakapura; Rohini D.V. of Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Doddakallasandra, Bangalore; Rakshitha V. of Niveditha School, Gavipuram, Bangalore; Supriya M.L. of St. Paul’s High School, Davangere; and S. Ruthvik of Vijaya High School, Hassan.
Rohini R., who extremely happy and surprised at her accomplishment, attributed her performance to her teachers’ guidance and four hours of study every day. Her namesake and other topper Rohini D.V., said that she aspires to be an engineer said that she was able to secure this spot as her parents never pressured her. Supriya said: “I did not go for any tuition, I studied everything myself.”
Meanwhile the parents of Ruthvik, who were attending a wedding, rushed to school straight from the marriage hall to share the happy news with the school staff. Ruthvik who aspires to specialise in cardiology, told The Hindu : “I am interested in biology. My wish is to score good marks in II PU and pursue MBBS.”
