Looking ahead after hard work pays off

She never attended classes but did take coaching for mathematics in which she got a 99 per cent. Manali is now all set to appear for CPT,the entrance test for Chartered Accountancy (CA).

Harshad Chavan
Overall
96.67%
Mumbai division topper Harshad Chavan from Swami Vivekananda College was thrilled as he came to know his results on Thursday morning. He scored 96.67 per cent,much more than his expectation. He had expected around 93 per cent. His father,a clerk at Maharashtra State Electric Board (MSEB) office in Bandra,and his mother,a school teacher in Vashi,were also excited about their son’s achievement. Incidentally,Harshad scored such excellent marks on his own — without the help of coaching classes. He attributes his success to his college teachers who,he says,managed to solve all of his problems and also to the support given by his family. Harshad now plans to pursue computer engineering and is eagerly awaiting his Common Entrance Test results that will be announced soon. Besides,he is also hoping to get admission to any of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) as he has been on the extended merit list of the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam.

Dadasaheb Patil
Backward classes
94.67%
It was a festive atmosphere at the slums of Gautam Nagar,Govandi where neighbours celebrated the success of 17-year-old Dadsaheb Patil,resident of kholi number 1. Patil scored an impressive 94.67 per cent in HSC in the science stream. He belongs to the Dhangar (Shepherd) community and comes from an extremely poor family. His mother,Indubai,sells onions and potatoes at a market in Govandi and even sweeps the floor of the market for a living. Patil’s father stays in his village in Sangli and comes down occasionally to visit his family.

“I attribute my success entirely to my mother. She has brought me up amidst great difficulties,” he says. Patil stays with his brother,mother and some other close relatives. His mother says,“He studied with concentration even when it got noisy in and around our house. We have so many members in our family and our house is always noisy. Nothing could have deterred him from studying. I am very proud of him.” He plans to pursue engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI),Matunga and is eagerly waiting for his Common Entrance Test (CET) results.

Ankita Shah
Science
95%
After topping the science stream in the Mumbai region with 95 per cent,Ankita Shah,student of Swami Vivekanad Junior College,Chembur,is now eagerly waiting for the medical Common Entrance Test (CET) result. Ankita’s parents are doctors and she is keen on following in their footsteps. “I am interested in medicine but the field of specialisation would depend on my CET results,” says Ankita. Regular studies and carefully treading on the advice of her teachers enabled her achieve this feat. However,it wasn’t all work and no play for her. To break from the monotony of studies Ankita would listen to music,watch movies and go on walks. “My parents were so surprised that for a while they just didn’t believe that I stood first,” says the jubilant Ankita.

Lekha Muralidharan
Girls
96.17%
With 96.17 per cent,Lekha Muralidharan of DG Ruparel College,Matunga,stood first among girls in the Mumbai Division and third in the overall category. Having modest expectations from the exams,she only hoped to score enough to pursue engineering from a good college. Lekha attributes her success to her consistent study plans. Unlike other students her age she never needed to pull all-nighters or study for 10 to 12 hours a day. She took coaching which added to what she was taught in college. She says her family and college played a major role in paving her success and enabled her appear for the exams without any stress.

“For now I am just satisfied that all of my exams are over and I am waiting for my engineering entrance result,” says Lekha.

Devika Gharge
Arts
90.33%
Devika Gharge of Ramnarain Ruia College says she has scored beyond all expectations. With 90.33% she is the proud topper of the arts stream. “I had expected to get only around 85 per cent. I am very happy with the results,” says Devika. Her father,general manager of a private company in Daman and her mother,a corporate social worker at Mahindra & Mahindra,are delighted with their daughter’s results. Her father flew down from Daman to be with his daughter. She attended coaching classes for economics and had a tutor for Mathematics. The two are her weakest subjects. Devika has already secured admission in the National Institute of Design.