Aim high, touch the sky

Manika Ahuja

Achievers, well, some breathe an air of contentment, with a miniscule achievement, while the rest momentously celebrate their feats, and before the ‘celebration’ draws to a close, swiftly brace themselves for the next big challenge that awaits them. Why, you might ask. Well, these folks know within that climbing the mountain is no big deal; it is touching the summit that truly counts!

“Hard work and perseverance always pay. One major mistake that a lot of us make is getting satisfied with whatever comes our way. That is wrong. Always keep your aims high!” Japnoor Kaur, who recently made City Beautiful proud (again) by earning AIR 7 in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), shares notes on the true mark of an achiever. “Every achievement you seal must inspire you to strive harder than ever before,” smiles the alumna of Chandigarh’s St. Stephen’s School.

The big switch

Japnoor is not the first celebrated ‘Go-Getter’ of her family. “My sister, Harsimar Kaur, who is currently completing her internship with AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science), got 1st rank in All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance (AIPMT) and rank 10 in AIIMS in 2011. In fact, that is what inspired me to follow her lead and get into AIIMS as well.”

But until the ‘big switch’ happened, as Japnoor puts it, she used to be a “mischievous girl”, who excelled academically, nonetheless. “My sister used to narrate her college experiences for the family to hear, and all of that motivated me to study more and more. I studied very hard in 11th and 12th. I understood the value of having all doubts cleared and reading what is being taught on the same day. That is how it all started falling in place,” she recalls.

Behold, world

What the familial inspiration evoked out of the now starry-eyed dame soon came out for the world to behold. “I got 94.4 per cent in both 10th ICSE board examination and in 12th CBSE board examination. I earned AIR-32 in AIIMS, apart from my recent achievement of earning AIR-7 in NEET result.”

But then again, Japnoor knows quite well that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! While she was burning the midnight oil in a bid to ace her academic pursuits, she maintained a neat balance, by “enthusiastically participating in many dance competitions. I love doing hip hop, Kathak and Bhangra. I have also participated in debate and drawing competitions.”

No gritting comparisons

When your elder sister has clinched great feats, one obvious risk that runs underneath is the build-up of a sibling comparison. Japnoor gives all credit to her parents for handling the tricky situation with due care, “My parents have been my pillars of support all through my journey. The best part is that I never felt any pressure at home, for they never compared me with my sister.” Time for her to set eyes on her ‘next big goal’, we reckon?