“Iron Man is my favourite superhero,” said Aakarsh Pathak, a boy of 15 who scored a clear 10 CGPA in CBSE Class X despite suffering from chicken pox and spinal issues during the exams. “I like reading Marvel comics in my spare time, and Iron Man is my favorite superhero.”
His father, Atul Pathak, on Saturday afternoon was on his way to buy sweets to celebrate the occasion while he explained the dire condition his son was in. “He was not able to sit up straight. His back was strained and chicken pox made it worse. It made his skin itchy and the fever would recur every hour.” He said, “I can’t believe he’s done so well.”
Central Board of Secondary Education’s Class X results were declared on Saturday. Speaking to The Hindu , toppers from various city schools said they ensured they balanced their studies with leisure activities.
Kaustubh Venkatesh of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Vihar, who scored 98.6 per cent, topping his class, said: “I used to study during the day and in the evening I used to take out time to watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S.; I like that show.” The 16-year-old was at his hometown in Madurai with his parents and grandparents when he heard the good news. “I was elated when I checked the result. I had expected to score well, but not this well.”
Ashmita Jain of St. Joseph, Panvel, scored an impressive 99.6 per cent. When asked if she expected this number she laughed: “I expected more than 98 per cent, but this is just too much.” She was spending time with her family and relatives in Jalna, a city she finds completely different from the modern “mechanical” cities. She wants to become a neuro-cardiac surgeon, and says it’s a complicated profession that she can’t really explain.
