‘From Class 8 onwards, I received scholarships from school’

Prabhav Gupta doesn’t just tick boxes—he ‘smashes’ them with style. A former Sports Captain, national level table tennis player, and recipient of the Dr. Stya Paul Award for Human Values at Apeejay School, Pitampura, Prabhav embodies excellence in every sphere. With academic accolades and several science scholarships such as Mukhyamantri Vigyan Pratibha Pariksha under his belt, and having cleared both JEE Mains and Advanced, he is now pursuing B.Tech in AI and Data Analytics at IIT Madras through a coveted Sports Excellence admission. In this interview, the young achiever looks back at the formative years that shaped him and shares inspiring anecdotes from his journey. Read edited excerpts:

So Prabhav, give us the whole picture. What are some of your key achievements so far? 

Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to earn accolades across different areas. I served as Sports Captain at Apeejay Pitampura for three years. I received the prestigious Dr. Stya Paul Award in 2022, and was a two-time recipient of the Apeejay Talent Search Exam (ATSE) scholarship. I also earned the Mukhyamantri Vigyan Pratibha Pariksha scholarship. In table tennis, I’ve won multiple State and National medals—gold, silver, and bronze—in School Nationals, National Championships, and CBSE Nationals. I also played an international tournament in 2019 and was a Khelo India athlete for three years.

That’s a spectacular list! Tell us about your years at Apeejay Pitampura

 I studied there from nursery to Class 12—14 wonderful years. The school was like a second home. I was a fairly quiet student, deeply focused on both studies and sports. I began playing table tennis when I was seven and balanced both passions throughout.

You may have been quiet but your achievements speak loud. Do throw light on your deep love for science. How did that come about? 

That love truly bloomed during the COVID lockdown. I was in Class 9 when sports came to a halt, and I had time to explore new interests. I’ve always been fond of mathematics—my mother is a math teacher. During lockdown, I dove into physics and chemistry and discovered a genuine interest. I also aced an admission test for a coaching institute and won a full scholarship—that gave me confidence to take up the science stream.

You’ve won several competitive scholarships. How did you prepare for those exams? 

My parents have always been my biggest inspiration. They encouraged me to go the extra mile and keep improving. I approached these exams with a genuine interest to learn and sharpen my skills, rather than focusing purely on outcomes.

How important was Apeejay School, Pitampura in helping you grow? 

Immensely important! From Class 8 onwards, I received scholarships from school. The teachers were very supportive—whether it was clearing doubts or encouraging me to keep up with sports. Whenever I had tournaments outside Delhi, the school backed me completely.

Tell us about your journey in table tennis—how did it all begin? 

It actually started as an indoor winter sport that my mom encouraged. We were a
badminton-loving family, but I took a shine to table tennis while visiting the sports complex. It helped that the academy was nearby and my coach saw potential in me early on. I trained consistently, and gradually, the medals followed.

You cleared both JEE Mains and Advanced while continuing sports. How did you manage that?

Balancing the two was challenging, but the school played a supportive role by helping me with time and flexibility. In Class 12, I even won a CBSE Nationals bronze in under-19 singles.

You were awarded the Dr. Stya Paul Award for Human Values. What does that mean to you? 

It was a huge honour. I was in Class 11 and serving as Sports Captain. I believe the award reflected my efforts to balance academics, sports, and my role as a leader. There was also a written exam and interview process for the award.

One fun question to wrap up—what’s something you loved at school and one thing you weren’t very good at? 

I loved playing basketball with friends and those lab sessions in Classes 11 and 12. What I struggled with? Definitely dance and music—those extracurriculars were not my strong suit!