‘Covid-19 lockdowns in Mumbai couldn’t slow down my dreams’

‘Where there is a will, there is a way’ – the popular idiom holds true for high achievers from Apeejay School, Kharghar in Mumbai. While the state of Maharashtra has been grappling with Covid-19 cases for the past few years, nothing stopped these students from pursuing their dreams. Be it learning in the online mode or taking a break at home, students managed and aced it all despite the lack of mobility and constant state-wide lockdowns. Due to their determination, success and hard work, they have shown that nothing is impossible to achieve.   

When asked about her achievement, Samriddhi Batra, Commerce topper who scored a high 99% in the Board examinations says, “My driving force is my father. I was expecting a good result but such a score was a pleasant surprise for me. My focus has been self-study. Alongside, my school teachers were of great help during the pandemic. There was never a moment when I thought that Covid-19 would slow down my educational pursuit. My teachers ironed out the hurdles and explained the concepts really well. Even after school, they would be available to take up queries and share with us questions and important updates from CBSE.”

Samriddhi is now looking forward to pursuing a Bachelor in Commerce (B.Com) degree. She also gives credit to her friends and classmates who helped her re-fuel her energy from time to time. During her study breaks, she often called them up or listened to music. Her advice to her juniors is to maintain consistency for these papers and give equal attention to all subjects.

Highlighting the role of her parents, Samriddhi adds, “My father, Mr. Vipen Batra, is a retired scientific officer from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and my mother is a Chemistry professor. My father helped me plan my study well and I attempt to learn from his experience. Often, I used to relate to my mother the concepts I have learnt, just to practice and prepare well.” Sharing the same sentiment, Ms. Apsara Batra (mother) says, “Samriddhi has been quite independent but every child needs their parents’ support. She is modest and humble about her achievement and that is a remarkable quality about her. My husband has qualified for many competitive examinations during his educational journey. And so, his knowledge helped our daughter. Samriddhi’s hard work paired with the right direction, smart planning, school teachers’ support and God’s blessings has yielded this result.”

Khushi Goyal who secured 96.8% in the Commerce stream shares that she is overwhelmed with the results. “It is a proud moment for me, my parents and teachers. The most challenging subjects in the Boards were Accountancy, Applied Mathematics and Economics. But, my teachers and school staff made it easy for me.” She aspires to become a Chartered Accountant. Her success mantra? “Believe in yourself and never stop dreaming!”

The Science (Medical) topper of the school, Snehal Rajesh Bane, bagging 96.8% says, “I mostly focused on the NCERT for my preparations. I also appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test this year since I aspire to be a veterinarian. I divided my time equally to manage the entrances and Boards. I may have been studying for 10-12 hours a day.”

She says, “YouTube came as a great help for me. I also followed 12-hour marathon classes on a channel.” Interestingly, the young achiever credits her mother for her academic achievement because she has been very patient with her tantrums. She says, “My mother used to stay up late for me, just to make sure I am comfortable.”

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“Excellence is never an accident. It is the result of high intention, sincere efforts, intelligent direction and skilful execution. Congratulations to all the students!”

-MS. TEJASWINI KATDARE, PRINCIPAL, APEEJAY SCHOOL, KHARGHAR