Despite being born with only 10 percent vision, Delhi-based Rakshit Malik (18) was ranked #3 nationally (in the physically challenged category) in the class XII school-leaving examination of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which has 17,000 affiliated schools countrywide. CBSE’s pan-India results were declared on May 21. This humanities student of Amity International School, Noida, top scored in the specified category with a 96.4 percent average and a centum in history.

To view this achievement in its proper perspective, Rakshit suffers from macular degeneration, a genetic disorder with no known cure, which prevents him from reading textbooks with normal size print fonts, or from writing speedily. Therefore to enable him to read, school texts and notes are required to be specially printed in enlarged fonts on A3 size sheets of paper.

The younger child of Rakesh Malik, a businessman, and homemaker Rachna, Rakshit attributes his topper status in the CBSE exam to unreserved and sustained home and school support. “Especially during the study leave period, my mother Rachna spent many hours holding study material close up and reading out the matter for second revision. Most days, we outsourced meals as my mother was forced to skip household chores. That was nurturance and support beyond the call of duty. I am also grateful to my history teacher Monila Sircar who provided special remedial learning,” he recalls.

This determined achiever, who de-stresses by penning poetry and debating, has applied for admission into Delhi University’s reputed colleges for a bachelor’s degree in history. “My dream is to create better opportunities and conditions for India’s 70 million people with disabilities who, given the breaks, can become contributing and tax-paying citizens. Therefore, I intend to pursue a career in the civil services. I am aware this will mean writing more examinations. But I am ready and willing to meet these challenges,” says this indomitable youngster.
Way to go, Bro!

Autar Nehru (Delhi)