The Rising Phoenix

“I come from a very small place in Bihar where there were only two schools in the entire district. In fifth standard I took an exam to get admission into Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya which was considered the best school of my district. Although I got admission into this school but moving into a hostel at just 10 years of age made me quite upset, yet when I look back I realised that it was one of the best things to have happened to me. I cannot express enough gratitude towards what that place has given me. From being a careless child who woke up just five minutes before school to becoming a young woman getting up at 5 AM every day to exercise, life became extremely organized and disciplined.

It definitely made me resilient. I started my journey with living with 14 roommates in a small room but along the way, teachers became family and friends, my very own siblings.

Then came 2016, the epoch where I had to choose my path. Being from a small town, I had witnessed so many health-related difficulties that I always want to become a doctor. I took a scholarship test and secured hundred percent scholarship at an institute in Delhi. So I decided to pack my bags and start my journey.

During my preparation I always kept in mind where I came from and what I wanted to become to bring change. And I studied a lot. I gave my day and night for this one examination and made it my everything. And when I used to get demotivated, which was pretty often, my parents always used to say ‘Nishkam Karma’, which means we should do our work truthfully; rest should be left upto God.

After 2 years of sticks and stones finally came the D-Day. 6th May 2018. My long and hard journey was finally coming to an end. Those 3 hours that I spent in the examination hall took my everything. Each and every lesson that I had learnt, throughout this voyage revolved in my mind. I had practised for this countless number of times, yet the feeling was unfamiliar. It was inexplicable.

I had been an average student throughout my life, so never in my life did I ever think that I would bag All India Rank 1. I was totally baffled. But seeing the amount of happiness and pride in my parents' eyes made each and every moment of the expedition worth it. I hope that with this new chapter, I am finally able to achieve what I have dreamt of my entire life.”

-Kalpana Kumari

Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi