Bhubaneswar: For Akhila Sadangi, a taxi driver from Ganjam, and his wife Chandana, years of sacrifice and perseverance paid off when the AHSE-2026 results were announced. Their son Anshuman (18) passed the examination with an impressive 99.17 percent, scoring 595 marks out of 600.
A Family's Struggle and Triumph
"Our prayers have finally been answered. All our struggles feel worthwhile today," said Sadangi, a resident of Polasara in Ganjam district, who earns a living by driving a rented taxi. His wife Chandana contributes to the household income through tailoring. Despite financial hardships, the couple remained determined to support their son's education.
Anshuman's Academic Journey
A student of Nalanda Vidya Mandir, Anshuman had earlier excelled in his Class X examination with 92 percent marks. "He was always a bright child and endlessly curious about science. But we did not have the means to put him in a private school, so he studied at the Government High School in Polasara," Sadangi recalled.
Financial worries resurfaced after Anshuman's Class X results when Nalanda Vidya Mandir approached them with an offer to admit him based on his academic performance. "At that time, the fee for the Plus II course with hostel facilities was more than Rs 1 lakh. We immediately refused because we simply could not afford it," Chandana said. "But the management insisted that Anshuman should study there. We somehow arranged Rs 10,000 for admission, and since then, the institution has supported him."
Discipline and Dedication
For Anshuman, success came through discipline and clarity of purpose. He dedicated nearly six hours every day to his AHSE preparation. "The AHSE is considered the second major milestone in a student's career after Class X in Odisha, so I wanted to give it my best," he said.
The teenager now dreams of pursuing engineering at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Alongside preparing for JEE Main and JEE Advanced on his own, he is also gearing up for the entrance examination for admission to the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), scheduled for June 6.
Concept Clarity Over Hours
Anshuman believes understanding concepts matters more than spending endless hours with books. "I have always focused on concept clarity rather than just counting study hours," he said. His achievement has also filled his teachers and college authorities with pride.
