HSC results out: Young achievers show grit pays off despite odds

Meenakshi is currently doing a computer course and plans to pursue graduation, though she is still exploring her field of interest.

Her parents, Prabhakar, 42 and Rani Padmakar, 34, said, “Since we haven’t studied ourselves, we couldn’t help her academically, but we told her, ‘You learn, do something good with your life, even if we couldn’t.’ She never took tuition or attended any coaching class—she did it all by herself.”

Rohit Dattatray Mohite, 25, scored 66.17% in the HSC exams from Navbharat Junior College. “My financial situation has always been difficult. Both my parents are waste collectors, and my brother and I suffer from fits. It took me five attempts to clear Class 10, but once I joined Navbharat, things improved,” he said. He now plans to study for a Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Electronic Technology.

His mother, Sheetal Dadatre Mohite, said, “I’m very proud of my son. I used to wait outside his school in case he needed help during an episode. Swach, the organization I work for, supported us and guided us through the education process.”

Shruti Shivaji Jadhav, 16, scored 82.17% in the Arts stream from Modern College. She said, “I always studied on my own. My college was from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and after college, I spent an hour in the library. At home, I helped with chores and then revised. We only bought second-hand books, and my father’s workplace helped us with old papers.”

Shruti wants to become an economics professor. Her father, Shivaji Vithal Jadhav, 45, said, “I’ve always supported her dreams. Even though I’m the only one earning, I never held her back.”

Sakshi Tanaji Phadke, 17, scored 77.83% in Commerce from SP College. “We couldn’t afford tuition classes, so I studied on my own using textbooks and notes. My mother never let our financial condition stop me from dreaming big,” she said.

Her mother, Sadhana Tanaji Phadke, 35, said, “I didn’t get to study when I was young, but I wanted something better for my daughter. She did everything by herself and made all our sacrifices worth it.”

Harsh Nitin Mahavir, 17, scored 51.17% in the Science stream. “My father left us, and my mother raised me alone. I missed some internal exams and had to fill Form 17 to appear for the board exam. I studied from old question papers and library books,” he said.

His father Nitin Mahavir, 39, who works on a waste truck, shared, “Even when I was tired, I kept working for Harsh’s education. When he passed, I cried. I know how much he struggled.”

Sakshi Nagnath Kamble, 17, scored 64% in the Science stream. “I lost my father when I was young. My mother worked as a waste picker for over 10 years. I never took tuition—I borrowed notes and asked my teachers questions. I wanted to make my mother proud,” she said.

Her mother, Rupali Kamble, said, “After my husband died, I had to manage everything alone. Sakshi studied without help and never gave up. Her success is my reward.”