Disability didn't deter Anushka Panda from scoring 97.8% in Class 10 CBSE exam

It was a dream come true for 14-year-old Anushka Panda who defied spinal muscular atrophy and being bound to the wheelchair to become one of the All-India toppers in the specially-abled category, as the class X CBSE exam results were announced on Tuesday. Scoring 489 out of 500, Anushka had prepared for the board exams from day one of the session.

A student of Suncity School, Sector-54 Gurgaon, Anushka has scored 97.8% marks. Her phone has not stopped ringing since.

"I can't believe that I'm one of the toppers. I knew I would score above 90 per cent but never imagined it could be this. I'm thrilled to know that my hard work has paid off. I was not able to sit for long at a stretch and had to schedule my breaks for every hour of study," said Anushka, who wants to pursue science.

She has scored 99 in Hindi and Mathematics, 98 in Social Studies and Science and 95 in English.

For her father, Anup Kumar Panda, it was a big day at work as his colleagues called him up to congratulate for his daughter's result and he took a half day to attend to mediapersons and relatives.

"In the noon, I got a call from a colleague saying a media portal is running on the web that Anushka is one of the toppers. I opened the web again to confirm the news and then called her up at home. She could not believe it in the first go as well. She has studied and written her exams like any other regular student," said Panda, who works with an MNC.

Talking about Anushka, he said that she wants to become a software engineer and wants to work with Google. When she is not studying, she is playing chess. She is also a trained classical singer.

Anushka has been suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, which is a genetic disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, affecting the ability to walk.

"Her school provided special infastructure for her to write the exam. She has been very consistent and hard-working. I feel so proud today," said her mother Archana Panda, who works with a private firm in Gurugram.

"She is an inspiration for all of us. The focus that she possesses is rare to find in other children. What she has achieved many other students would not be able to achieve with all the elements," said, Rupa Chakravarty, principal, Suncity School.

Sanya Gandhi, who is visually challenged is another topper in the category from Ghaziabad, too has scored 489 out of 500. She would study on her computer with audio books.

"I am so happy to know the result, as it was above my expectation. I want to pursue humanities and sit for civic services exam in the future," said Sanya, who is a student of Uttam School for Girls, Shastri Nagar, Ghaziabad.