Gritty student scores 96.8% despite 50 stitches after fourth-floor fall

MUMBAI: A serious head injury and fractured ribs did not deter Romil Nair from appearing for his Class X exams. The student of Jamnabai Narsee School, Vile Parle, scored 96.83% in the ICSE exams despite a near-fatal accident.
Twelve days before the exams, Nair was playing on the fourth floor of his building when he fell through its lateral duct. He was rushed to Kokilaben Hospital, Andheri, and admitted to its intensive care unit.His skull did not have any fracture but he had to be operated upon as his scalp was severely injured and ribs were broken. Despite spending eight days in hospital and with over 50 stitches on his head, he was determined to appear for his board exams. His parents gave him moral support. “We knew this would not affect his result. He has always been a hardworking student and prepared for the exam for two years,” said Ami, his mother. Romil appeared for the exams from the health care unit of his school, which arranged for a scribe for him.
“According to ICSE norms, it is the school’s duty to help children in crisis. We were always there for him. There was a nurse to ensure he was alright and took his medications. He needed a well-ventilated room, which we provided,” said Zeenat Bhojabhoy, the principal.
Romil now plans to apply to Sathaye College, Vile Parle and later pursue medicine. He has already begun preparations for the common entrance test for medical courses (MH-CET).
Cerebral palsy doesn’t deter 92%, LSE dreams
Agam Shukla, a student of Bhaktivedanta Swami Mission School, Juhu has overcome cerebral palsy to score 92.4% in Class X. Originally from Raipur, Shukla moved to Mumbai when his father was transferred here. “I sat with him for his studies everyday. It was like reappearing for my Class X exams,” said Atul Shukla, his father, adding, “He would solve question papers of the last 10 years as practice, but he had to convert his knowledge into scores as it matters most for junior college admissions.” Agam often scored about 75% in school. “I knew he would score above 90% in this exam,” said Shukla. Agam was given a writer as his handwriting was affected by his medical condition. He scored 100 in commercial studies and plans to join the London School of Economics some day.
Overcame tragedy with systematic study
Pari Mihir Dhruva lost her father a few months before her ICSE exam, but put the tragedy behind her to score 93.8%. The student of Jamnabai Narsee School, Vile Parle, Dhruva said, “It was quite tough to cope with it. My father really wanted me to score well. I hope I have managed to achieve his dream,” she said.
She said what made it easier for her to study was that she sorted out all her subjects and made a study schedule for each month, which she followed daily. “But I also paid attention in school and that really helped,” she said. “Finish what you have been taught that very day,” she said, adding, “Take help from teachers.” Dhruva said the easiest way to not be stressed during exams is to ensure not to have a backlog. “It is very important to have a stress buster. I like to paint. So I painted whenever I could,” she said.
Battled learning disabilities, father’s death
Samay Bothra, who suffers from multiple learning disabilities, lost his father a month before he appeared for his exams. Yet, he scored 75.6% in his Class X exams. Bothra “I was shocked, but life had to move on. I had the inspiration that I had to work hard and make him proud,” he said. A student of Pawar Public School, Chandivli, Bothra has dyslexia (a reading disorder), dysgraphia (difficulty to write) and dyscalculia (difficulty in comprehending numbers). “I attended all my classes and my tuitions and completed my homework. I had actually expected a bit more,” he said. He could avail of a writer for his exams. He now plans to opt for science in his junior college and pursue industrial engineering.