Girls have fared well in the recently announced class 12 results. Reyaz Ahmed meets the toppers.

Hard work pays but sustained efforts pay better; when a student believes like this, it has to be her secret to success. Aqsa Inayat, the higher secondary topper in Kashmir region, put in a lot of hard work and made her parents proud.

The third among her sisters, she too wanted to perform well and emulate her elder sisters, one of whom is a doctor and the other KAS officer.

“It was my dream to become a topper,” says Aqsa who had secured fifth position in her10th class examination.
Aqsa believes that hard work besides dedication towards achieving your goals pays in the long run.

“Even if you are intelligent you have to work hard to reach your goal. One must choose a goal and stick to achieve it,” she said.

Her elder sisters being achievers themselves were a reliable help, Aqsa says, “Whenever I found any difficulty, my elder sisters were always there to guide and help me”.

Aqsa’s parents might have longed for a son when three girls were born in the family but not anymore.

“We are thankful to Almighty Allah who bestowed me with three daughters. Our daughters have made us proud. They have never let us feel that we don’t have a son. We can’t express our joy in words,” said her father Inayatuallah Saraf, a businessman.

Aqsa’s mother Raziya Begum says, “I have no complaint to Almighty Allah for no giving me a son. My daughters proved that girls do better than boys. I am proud of my daughters.”

Aqsa is a very shy girl and hardly visits any relatives. She loves reading novels and has a hobby of collecting coins, adds Raziya.

Baramulla town witnessed a lot of violent demonstrations and curfews during the summer and schools were shut down for more than four months. “Situation was very volatile in our town and we couldn’t get much time to study in school but I didn’t wait for completion of syllabus in school,” Aqsa said, “Studying in such circumstances was not easy”.

Aspiring to be a doctor like her elder sister, Aqsa wants to serve her society. “I want to become a professional doctor. I have been preparing for as there is stiff competition which requires hardest possible work for it is the survival of the fittest.”

Her classmate in the Saint Joseph’s School in Baramulla, Anjuman Jeelani of Model Town Sopore bagged the 2nd position in the Class 12th examination. Anjuman lives with her grandparents. She had topped the class 10th examinations in Kashmir region.

“I once again brought smiles on the faces of my parents and grandparents. I was overwhelmed when my grandfather informed on phone that I have bagged second position. The elation and the satisfaction of my grandfather means a lot to me,” says Anjuman.

“From Nursery to this class my teachers always showed me the way. I always stood first in class. By bagging the first position in Matric and second position in class 12th I have made my teachers proud,” said Anjuman whose father, Ghulam Jeelani Tukoo is a police inspector and mother Mehbooba Jeelani, a government teacher.

Anjuman who has been brought up by her grandparents, says that hard work and her grandparents’ support was the key to her success.

“Since my childhood my grandparents gave me a lot of care. Since I was six, my grandfather guided and supported me. My uncle also helped me lot,” she added.

She said that she studied for six hours daily.  “I used to study from 5pm to 11pm every day. Chalking out a study schedule helped me and I didn’t feel any pressure during the exam days,” she said.

Anjuman aspires to become a cardiologist.

Her grandfather, Abdul Wahid Tugoo, a retired teacher, is a proud and satisfied man. He says, “She is a good girl. We are proud of her.” Anjuman’s grandmother Fatima says, “I fed her with cow’s milk as we adopted her soon after she was born. On seeing her success, I feel as if I have performed Hajj.”

Aqsa scored first position with 728 marks out of maximum 750 (97.06 percent) while Anjum Jeelani bagged the second position by scoring 726 marks (96.8%).

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