In the face of frequent power outages, Kashish Verma of Sitapur studied under the light of a mobile phone torch and candles when the phone battery died. Her dedication paid off as she scored 97.83% and topped the UP Board Class X (High School) exam, results declared by the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board on Thursday.
Three farmers' daughters share top honours
Anshika Verma shared the top position with the same percentage in High School, while Shikha Verma topped the Class 12 (Intermediate) exam with 97.60% marks. All three girls are daughters of farmers.
Kashish Verma's journey
A student of Baburam Savitri Devi Inter College in Sitapur, Kashish lives in Sonsa village. Her brother Yash said, “There is usually no electricity during the day in our village, and even at night the supply is only for a few hours. But my sister never made excuses and continued to study without a break.” Their father, Pupan Verma, is a small farmer. Until last year, they lived in a kutcha house. To support their studies, he took a loan and built two small rooms.
“Don't be afraid to struggle, work hard, and remain consistent to achieve success,” said Kashish, adding that she wants to become a teacher, a dream cherished by her father and her mother, Neelam Devi, who ensured financial challenges never hindered her education.
Shikha Verma's story
The Class 12 topper Shikha Verma from the same school faced similar challenges. She lives in Bilauli village and studied with the help of solar power. She credited her school for providing free coaching classes that she could not have afforded. “My school runs a coaching programme called Super 30, free for students from humble backgrounds. My father, Jitendra Verma, is a farmer, and we are four siblings,” she said. Her father always told her to focus only on her studies and not worry about anything else.
“He works hard in the fields cultivating mentha and wheat, so I worked hard in the classroom. I aspire to become a civil servant one day,” she said.
Anshika Verma's ambition
UP Board Class 10 co-topper Anshika Verma from Modern Academy Inter College, Barabanki, is also a farmer’s daughter. “I want to become an engineer so that one day I can develop technologies that make farmers' lives easier. My father, Kundal Lal Verma, and my homemaker mother, Anita, are my biggest inspiration,” she said.
