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NRI boy tops maths exam in Trinidad, wins Prez Medal
The Trinidadian student topped maths in Advanced-Level Cambridge Varsity Exam.
Amrik Singh Kochar's joy knew no bounds after the Trinidadian student of Indian origin topped the maths papers in this year's Advanced-Level Cambridge University International Examinations and came fourth in the physics paper.
"I'm not sure that gifted is the right word. I just think that I happened to be a good student, who works hard and I guess I was lucky this time around," he said.
A former student of Hillview College, Tunapuna, Trinidad, Amrik has been awarded a national scholarship and the President's Medal.
As the President's Medal Winner, his studies will be funded to the equivalent of the PhD degree to a maximum of seven years.
Amrik, whose father Gurmohan Kochar is the Deputy Principal of the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, scored grades "A"s in mathematics, further mathematics, physics and general paper.
In the November GCE Advanced Level, he scored "A"s in mathematics, further mathematics, physics and chemistry.
The son of parents who left India over 30 years ago and first went to the United States before making Trinidad their "home", he is enrolled as a first-year student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in Electrical Engineering. He has also represented Trinidad at mathematical olympiads.
His eldest sister, Amrita Kochar, was also academically brilliant, winning an additional National Scholarship in 1997. Another sister Arti currently studies at the University of Florida.
