Chandigarh boy in news after govt says Google selected him for a special programme

Chandigarh officials on Saturday said a class 12 student was selected by internet giant Google for a special icon designing programme, during which he is expected to receive a Rs 4 lakh per month stipend.

However, the government ordered an inquiry on Tuesday after several media reports quoted Google as saying it did not have the boy on their records.

The official release by the Union Territory administration said Harshit Sharma, who completed Class 12 from the Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 33, was expected to leave for the US in August.

Selected for Google’s special programme, he will be trained initially for a year, it said. On completing the training, Sharma is expected to receive Rs 12 lakh per month, it added.

Hailing from Mathana in Kurukshetra, Haryana, the 16-year-old had taken up information technology in Class 12.

“I kept searching for jobs online,” Harshit said. “I applied for this job in May, and was interviewed online. I have been interested in graphic designing for the past 10 years. I was selected on the basis of the posters I designed.”

Harshit’s parents are teachers. His younger brother studies in Class 10. During his time at the school, he stayed with his uncle at Dera Bassi.

Deep Kiran, one of his teachers at GMSSS-33, described Harshit as a “brilliant student”.

School principal Indra Beniwal said: “Harshit is an all-rounder. He has brought laurels to our school.”

Beniwal said Harshit also received an award of Rs 7,000 under the Prime Minister’s Digital India scheme.

“Our school got the smart school status in 2016. Harshit helped the teachers in various programmes, as he has a knack for technology,” she said.

First Published: Jul 30, 2017 10:54 IST