Rahul V Pisharody is an Assistant Editor with the Indian Express Online and has been reporting from Telangana on various issues since 2019. Besides a focused approach to big news developments, Rahul has a keen interest in stories about Hyderabad and its inhabitants and looks out for interesting features on the city's heritage, environment, history culture etc. His articles are straightforward and simple reads in sync with the context. Rahul started his career as a journalist in 2011 with The New Indian Express and worked in different roles at the Hyderabad bureau for over 8 years. As Deputy Metro Editor, he was in charge of the Hyderabad bureau of the newspaper and coordinated with the team of district correspondents, centres and internet desk for over three years. A native of Palakkad in Kerala, Rahul has a Master's degree in Communication (Print and New Media) from the University of Hyderabad and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore. Long motorcycle rides and travel photography are among his other interests. ... Read More
NEET UG 2023 Topper: How a decision to move cities changed AIR 1 Bora Varun Chakravarthi’s life
NEET UG Topper 2023: Not only has Chakravarthi topped NEET, but on Wednesday he also secured the second rank in the AP EAMCET results

Bora Varun Chakravarthi (17) has achieved what only a few can. On Tuesday, he topped the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in his first attempt. In less than 12 hours, Chakravarthi also discovered that he had bagged the second rank in agriculture in Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture and Pharmacy Common Entrance Test or AP EAMCET results declared Wednesday morning.
This feat would not have been possible, the NEET topper says, if it weren’t for his father, B Rajendra, who made the decision to relocate him to a new city at the age of 13. His father felt that a city with better educational resources would serve as Chakravarthi’s gateway to a promising future.
What followed, he fondly recalls, was a pivotal turning point in his academic journey. Coming from Thotada, a quaint village in the Polaki mandal of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, Chakravarthi vividly remembers how his life took a transformative course when his father enrolled him in a school for Class 9 and 10 at Vizag and then for intermediate at Vijaywada.
“After scoring well in class 5, my father suggested that I move to a city with better educational facilities. I finished Class 9 and Class 10 in Vizag and Intermediate, I studied in Vijayawada. Both were Sri Chaitanya campuses. My father and mother have been constant sources of inspiration, pushing me to excel academically,” he told The Indian Express.
NEET UG 2023 Toppers | AIR 1 | AIR 4| AIR 5 | AIR 8 | AIR 7 |AIR 10 | AIR 11 | Overall result | Tie-breaker | Analysis
Chakravarthi’s father, who teaches at Narasannapeta Government High School, praised his son’s academic abilities. His mother teaches at the Thotada village government school. “We always knew he was destined for great success, and he has fulfilled our dream of seeing him excel in higher education,” Rajendra said.
He put in nine hours daily towards his NEET preparation and was always confident of a good score. “I expected 715 marks when the first answer key was released. After the final key was released by NTA, I came to know I will get 720 marks. I knew it would be a good rank. I didn’t expect to top, but definitely felt I would figure among the toppers,” he added.
Chakravarthi shares the first rank with J Prabanian from Tamil Nadu. He plans to pursue MBBS at AIIMS in New Delhi, a seat that he is guaranteed to get with his rank.
Asked about his tips for NEET preparation, he said, “I wanted to avoid silly mistakes and work on time management. I tried to complete the exam in 3 hours. We thought the exam time would be reduced to 3 hours from 3 hours 20 minutes. So we prepared accordingly. Since the actual exam was 3 hours 20 minutes, It helped me. Most important thing is time management and basics such as reading questions properly.”
Chakravarthi said that he was more focused on NEET preparation than AP EAMCET. “Our college convention is to cover EAMCET topics as well. So we are expected to score in EAMCET also,” he said.
“Until class 10, I had no clarity about my future career path. However, after that, I developed a strong desire to become a doctor. My motivation stems from a deep aspiration to serve others, and my sister, who is currently in her third year of MBBS at RIMS, Srikakulam, has been a significant source of inspiration for me,” he added.
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