The Telegraph Education Foundation (TTEF) felicitated a group of remarkable young individuals who continue to pursue their education despite facing extraordinary challenges in their daily lives.
The recognition took place on the opening day of the third edition of the IIHM Presents The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2025 North Bengal, held in association with The Bhawanipur Education Society College and PCM Group, and co-sponsored by SiP Abacus, at the auditorium of Birla Divya Jyoti School, in Uttarayon, Siliguri, on Friday.
TTEF also awarded scholarships to these students — a gesture aimed at encouraging them to chase their dreams with renewed confidence.
The Telegraph shares the inspiring stories of bravehearts who received the TTEF Scholarship for embodying the can-do spirit when the world said you can’t.
Books over leopards
Annu Oraon, Class X
Rajadanga PM High School (HS), Rajadanga, Jalpaiguri
In 2023, heartbreaking news of a student killed in an elephant attack while on his way to answer Madhyamik exam hit the headlines. The tragedy occurred near Sikarpur — a remote village in the Rajganj block of Jalpaiguri — where human lives constantly intersect with wildlife.
In that same area lives Annu, a determined teenager who refuses to let fear or hardship derail her dream of education. Her family lives on the meagre daily wages of her father, a tea garden worker. For them, even securing one full meal a day is uncertain — yet Annu’s resolve is unshaken.
Each morning, her journey to school begins with a silent prayer. The narrow path from her home winds through areas where leopards are frequently sighted. The risk is real and ever-present; her parents, unable to forgo their daily labour, cannot accompany her.
So Annu walks with a small band of five or six classmates, their companionship a fragile shield against danger.
There have been days when she has come face-to-face with a leopard, escaping by sheer luck and courage. But not once has she thought of giving up school. “What will I do if I don’t study? I must study for a better life,” she said.
Private tutors, new textbooks and stationery are luxuries. Yet, in 2026, Annu will sit for her Madhyamik — a milestone not just for her family, but her hamlet. Her dream is simple yet profound: to become a teacher and to ensure that no child in her village needs to pick between safety and education.
Earning while learning
Sayani Bhattacharya,
Class XI
Kranti Devijhora Balika Vidyalaya, Kranti Hat, Jalpaiguri
In the quiet lanes of Hospitalpara in Kranti, lives Sayani, a young girl whose resilience shines through hardships. In a four-member household battling severe financial constraints, Sayani has taken it upon herself to fund her own education by teaching others.
Her father, Subrata, once employed with a private company, lost his job during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, he works as a priest, a modest source of income that barely keeps the family afloat. Her mother, Mitali, manages the home, while her sister studies in Class V.
Sayani decided not to let her circumstances dictate her destiny. She began giving private tuitions to local children. The small amount she earns every month helps sponsor her own education and that of her sister. She even contributes a little to the household.
The dream that keeps her going? Becoming a teacher. Each day, after completing her tuition sessions, she and her sister walk nearly 2km to school — their steps guided by determination and their hearts filled with hope for a brighter future.
Mother’s daughter
Rikiya Saha, Class XII
Kamakhyaguri High School, Alipurduar
For Rikiya, life has never been easy. Having lost her father a few years ago, she now lives with her mother, who works tirelessly as a tailor to support the family, earning barely ₹4,000 a month. Yet, financial hardship has never shaken Rikiya’s resolve to study and build a better future.
A student of humanities, Rikiya has excelled in academics through sheer perseverance and self-discipline. Her dedication shone through when she secured an impressive 87.2 per cent in her Class XI final examinations.
Now preparing to appear for her higher secondary exams next year, Rikiya remains steadfast in her resolve to study hard and score well, driven by the hope of easing her mother’s burdens. “I want to have a career so that my salary can help my mother have a comfortable life,” she said.
Mettle for medals
Aditi Das, Class IX
Kamakhyaguri Girls’ High School, Alipurduar
Balancing books and sports with equal determination, Aditi is an aspiring athlete who refuses to let financial hardship slow her down. The daughter of a daily-rated worker earning around ₹8,000 a month, she lives with her parents and brother in a modest hutment.
Despite the economic challenges her family faces, Aditi continues to pursue her passion for sports while remaining deeply committed to her studies. Her dream is to excel as an athlete and, through education, carve out a brighter future for herself and her family.
“I dream of medals that bring honour to my family, state and country,” she said.
Creating a new world
Adesh Oraon, Class VII
Sologhoria F.V. Jr. High School (HS), Kathambari, Jalpaiguri
In a small hamlet of Jalpaiguri, Adesh dreams of a future shaped by education, not circumstance. His father, a tea garden worker and the sole earner of the five-member family, brings home barely ₹2,000 a month — an amount that scarcely manages to feed five people.
Yet, even amid abject poverty, Adesh refuses to give up. With quiet perseverance, he continues to attend school regularly, balancing his studies with the realities of hardship at home. His dedication bore fruit when he scored an impressive 78 per cent in his last exam. “When I study, I am in another world,” said the boy.