ISC, ICSE results: Mumbai students who beat the odds

Mumbai city news: Stories of top-scorers and hard workers who beat the odds to ace the ICSE and ISC results

From losing a parent to fighting off cancer, here are stories of children who displayed extraordinary strength to overcome their difficulties and perform well in their board exams.

Praful Gangurde

He fought breathing trouble to write exams

Gopal Dhoot

Gopal Dhoot’s dust allergy made it difficult for him to breathe when the wrote his ICSE papers. The discomfort became so severe he was unable to write the papers himself. The education board allowed him to use a writer, and he scored managed to score 77% in his Class 10 exams.

But just days before the results were announced, Dhoot had an asthma attack on May 25 and was rushed to the hospital. His father told him his scores in the Intensive Care Unit. “When he got the results, he was happy. He expected a bit more, but he was satisfied,” his father, Manoj said. The 15-year-old from Children’s Academy, Kandivli, said was unable to study for a few weeks because of the respiratory illness. “Gopal has had chronic bronchitis for more than a year. But when the exams neared, his health started deteriorated and he was unable to study,” said Manoj.

Gopal was responding well to treatment and should be discharged in two days.

School helps boy who lost father before exam

Devashish Mahurkar

Devashish Mahurkar, 15, lost his father just a month before the Class 10 exam began. But teachers and the principal of HVB Global Academy, Marine Drive, supported him and gave him the courage to study.

Devashish secured 78.56% in the ICSE exams.

Devashish’s family came to know of his father’s illness in November, and have since been travelling out of the city for treatment. “We we had to take urgent calls and go wherever we got medication for his father. We even thought of asking Devashish to a break from the school year. But, the school staff took over and helped us through,” said Renuka, Devashish’s mother.

“They made sure my child ate well, studied and was taken care of,” Renuka said.

Devashish is still shaken by his father’s death. His family said he likes the commerce stream, but could pursue computers as an alternative.

Chemo, radiation and hard work

This brave heart didn’t let cancer beat him. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last year, a 16-year-old Campion School student caught up on school work and packed in revisions between chemotherapy and radiation sessions. The student, who requested not to be named, scored 86%.

“Even during his exams, he had to go through radiation sessions for three weeks. We asked him to skip the year, but he was determined,” his mother, a resident of Malabar Hill, said. “Radiations drain you from the inside, but he went to school like a normal boy. He is an inspiration,” she said. “He has been a brilliant student all through and we are very proud of him,” said his father, adding the school gave the family ample support.

Diabetes didn’t stop him from writing the exams

His fluctuating sugar levels made Svojas Pitale’s parents worry about his exams. Svojas, a type-1 Diabetes patient, constantly felt dizzy or tired and found it hard to fall asleep.

“Balancing sugar levels was crucial during his exams,” said his mother Yadnya. “He had to be injected insulin every time he ate .” But Svojas, a student of Lilavatibai Podar High School, Santacruz, fought through it to score 72.4% in the ICSE exams.”

(With inputs from Bhakti Makwana)