SSC results: Shining bright

Among those who excelled in the SSC examination are stories of true grit and hard work. From balancing studies with fencing classes to selling newspapers to support the family, these kids have defied all odds to emerge winners. The Hindu spoke to some of them.

June 07, 2016 08:21 am | Updated November 17, 2021 01:41 am IST

Tanya Wadkar

Tanaya Ramchandra Wadkar of Kalsulkar English High School, Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg district scored a perfect 100. Her daily routine would include waking up at 5.30 am to study, attending school and tuitions, and ending the day with studies till 12.30 am. To add to that, she is a state-level rifle shooter and practices for an hour each day. This brought her 15 crucial marks that took her to the perfect score. “I want to become an IAS officer one day,” she says.

Hiren Mistry

Hiren Mistry, whose father is a tailor, sold newspapers between 5 am and 8 am in Virar to add to the family income. A student of MMN Dugad Gujarati High School, he scored achieved a remarkable 90.6 per cen. He dedicates his success to his parents, who encouraged him to work hard towards his goal. “They always tell me it’s most important to be a good human being. I would just put my head down each day and keep doing as much as I could. I hope to be an engineer and make my parents proud,” said Mistry.

Swarali Chodnekar

A classical singer, dancer, instrumentalist, state-level fencer and rifle shooter and winner of 187 international and national-level prizes, Swarali Chodnekar is a true all-rounder. She topped her school, VN Sule Guruji in Dadar (E), with 99 per cent marks. “This is just a milestone. I have a long way to go. I want to give back to society by becoming a cardiologist and treating the poor,” she says. In 2012, Ms. Chodnekar won a scholarship of Rs 10 lakh under the Max New York Life i-genius Scholarships programme.

Swami Vivekanand International School, Chembur saw two girls topping with both scoring 95 per cent. Saloni Dedhia and Prachee Sarda credit their school for providing a conducive environment for them to excel. “I would set weekly targets for myself. Regular hard work was the key for me,” says Dedhia. “It is essential to have a healthy mind as well. I would meditate and do yoga every day,” adds Sarda.

Anuja Gurav

Anuja Ashok Gurav of St. Joseph’s High School, New Panvel was amongst the toppers in her class each year. She bettered herself by topping the school with 95.8 per cent marks. Putting in four to five hours of hard work every day was Ms. Gurav’s secret to success. “I want to be an engineer as science subjects are my favourite,” she says.

Sharan Shetty

“It is the result of his continuous effort,” said Uday Shetty, Sharan’s father. Sharan, a student of St. Joseph’s High School in Vikhroli (W), scored 98.2 per cent. Mr. Shetty said he was proud of his son’s efforts. “He prepared not only from the syllabus but also referred other books and question papers of previous exams. He wants to be an engineer and I am sure that his effort will make him a good one. Our encouragement is always with him,” he said.

Priyanka Pandya

Priyanka Pandya, a student of St. Mary’s High School, Dahisar, scored 96.4 per cent in SSC. She gave credit of her success to parents and teachers. She said, “Studying the whole time is not necessary. One can study in shorter intervals and that too by not making it monotonous. I not only attended classes regularly but also participated in extra-curricular activities. My dream is to be a doctor. It’s not about marks, it’s about learning,. This is the beginning, the future holds a lot of opportunity.”

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