City lad Amandeep tops state in sports category

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 22

It was a proud moment for the city as top positions in Class X exams, results of which were declared by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) today, were clinched by students from the city. In both academics and sports category, city students won laurels.

In the academics category, Amit Yadav has grabbed the second position in the state with 98.62% while Simi Kumari has stood third with 98.31%. Both students are from Sai Public Senior Secondary School.

In the sports category, Amandeep Verma has stood first in the state with 99.08 per cent and Jyoti Pawar second with 98.62 per cent. They are students of BCM Senior Secondary School, Focal Point.

In the sports category, 15 marks are given to players who had played at the state level and 25 to those who had played at the national level.

Amit Yadav’s father manufactures nuts and bolts. Amit helped his father everyday taking time out of his study schedule. “After school, I used to go for my tuition. After tuition, I helped my father in his work for one or two hours. After brief study, I slept off. After a power nap of two or three hours, I woke up and started studying as it is peaceful at that time,” he said.

Shiv Nandan Yadav, Amit’s father, said whenever he woke up at night, he found the light in his son’s room on and him holding a book. “I used to tell him to relax and sleep but he would never listen to me,” he said.

Yadav said his son had opted for the medical stream and he wished to become a doctor. But with his meagre income, he is not sure what help he would be able to provide to his son to fulfil his dream, he added.

Simi Kumari, who has stood third, never stayed away from her books. “Study, study and study was what I used to do. Sometimes, my parents would tell me to take a break. I had put my best effort and I am happy with my achievement,” she said. Simi has opted for commerce and wants to become a chartered accountant.

Shiv Shankar, father of Simi, runs a grocery store. He said whenever he saw his daughter, he found her carrying a book. But he had never imagined that she would score so well. “I am proud of my daughter,” he said.

In the sports category, Amandeep Verma, who has stood first in the state, wishes to become a software engineer. “I never took tuition and it was self-study which paid off. My teachers were always there to help me,” he said. A baseball player, Verma practised everyday ans still spared time to study. His father works at Hero Cycles and his mother is a homemaker.

Jyoti Pawar, second in the state in the sports category, is also a state-level baseball player. Like Verma, she never took tuition. “Players have the ability to do more since they have a good stamina. I studied at home and never took tuition. I expected the first position but I am happy with the result. I will work harder than before to achieve my goal,” she smiled. Daughter of an electrician, Jyoti wants to become a heart specialist and render her services to needy patients.

Amandeep Verma 99.08%
First in state (sports)
Study: 6 hours
Success mantra: Take help from parents, principal and teachers to achieve your goal
Smbition: To become a software engineer

Amit Yadav 98.62%
Second in state (academics) 
Study: 5-6 hours
Success mantra: Work hard and never say die
Ambition: To become a doctor

Simi Kumari 98.31%
Third in state (academics)
Study: 4-6 hours
Success mantra: Hard work pays off
Smbition: To become a CA

Jyoti Pawar 98.62%
Second in state (sports)
Study: 4-6 hours, success mantra: God is always by your side
Ambition: To become a heart specialist