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.
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“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.
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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.
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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.