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In the face of adversity, they passed the ‘test of life’ with flying colours

Baani Chawla, 16, was four months old when she was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity, which led to shrinking of the retina and she lost her eyesight. But she scored 97.40% in the ICSE examination

Published on: Apr 30, 2025, 23:48:12 IST
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LUCKNOW Many examinees have excelled in the ICSE and ISC exams, but there are some who cleared the ‘test of life’ with flying colours. In the face of adversity, they not only appeared for the board exams, but also scored well.

Baani Chawla, 16, with her parents. (Sourced)
Baani Chawla, 16, with her parents. (Sourced)

Shaurya Kaushik, 15, a student at City Montessori School who achieved 98.8% marks in ICSE examination, was diagnosed with brain tumour four years back. “Half of my body was affected due to the tumour. We were required to visit a hospital in Mumbai every three months for medication and checkup, but it was my self-motivation that kept me going. I used to take leave from school and get notes with the help of my classmates. My teachers helped me clear all doubts,” said Kaushik who aspires to become a civil engineer.

Baani Chawla, 16, was four months old when she was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), which led to shrinking of the retina and she lost her eyesight.

But despite the odds, this student of Lucknow Public College, Sahara States, scored 97.40% in the ICSE examination.

Satwik Tiwari, 17, who scored 98% marks in ICSE and Satakshi Singh, 15, who scored 91.6% in ISC, lost their fathers during their board examination, but their mothers stood by them and motivated them to take the examination.

Abdullah Khan, 16, who has been suffering from achondroplasia (dwarfism) since childhood, scored 93.4% marks in the ICSE exam. “I lost my father when I was a toddler. My mother, an educator, raised me single-handedly. I was mocked by people at times, but my school supported me by making me feel equal to any other kid. My teachers motivated me in giving my best and in understanding the importance of education, which helped me succeed,” he said.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Godhooli Sharma

Godhooli Sharma is working as Senior Content Creator and is based in Lucknow. She majorly covers Education and Science beats alongside cultural and human-interest stories. If not in office, she can be found wandering in quest of news stories - driving from one end of the city to another until dusk just to file the stories in time. She has over four years of experience in the field of journalism and was previously with The Times of India. A fast learner, hard worker and multitasker who rises up with the zeal to get on a whole new expedition of learning. She goes by believing that coming into this profession was by her choice and not by chance - generally considered the other way around for journalists. Outside of journalism, she is engaged in creative pursuits, including photography, painting, bird-watching and travel. Being a creative person inside out, she believes in pulling out some soft stories that can bring cheer to society. Her reporting frequently features stories on scientific innovations, academic issues across Lucknow University and local schools, student achievements under adverse circumstances, and local cultural affairs like the city's theatre scene. Born and raised in Indore, she completed his intermediate and later her higher education from Isabella Thoburn College and Lucknow University respectively.

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