Rachana Mishra

Rachana Mishra wants to be a professor of English and a gold medal in her MA would help her fulfil the ambition.

The 35-year-old homemaker who lives in Gaya is the all-India topper in the subject from Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou). She completed her course in December 2011 but would get her medal this Friday, as the university did not organise a convocation ceremony last year.

Born in New Delhi, the mother of a 15-year-old said her husband, Mahamrityunjay Nath Jha, who works in Anugrah Memorial College had encouraged her to pursue studies, which she had to abandon when she got married.

Besides her, all the four toppers — Himadri Pramanik for BCA, Awantika Kumari for bachelor of tourism studies, Pragya Lakshmi for diploma in nutrition and health education and Dr Shagufta Raza for PG diploma in maternal and child health — would get their medals at SK Memorial Hall on April 12, said Ignou regional director Qaseemuddin Haider on Wednesday.

The convocation would be held simultaneously at 48 different centres. President Pranab Mukherjee would deliver the convocation address over teleconferencing.

Haider said: “As many as 28,595 students would be eligible to get their degrees/diplomas and certificates at the convocation ceremony. Around 800 had confirmed their attendance.”