Kendrapara, June 1: A bookbinder's son has topped the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) in MBA, leaving the academic fraternity in the district headquarters township elated.

Sheikh Fallauddin, father of the OJEE MBA topper, was forced to sell off a plot of urban land to meet his son's study expenses.

Shadab Anwar, 22, who was the best commerce graduate in Kendrapara Autonomous College, has earned the first rank in OJEE-MBA. "This is a matter of pride for our college. The highlight of Anwar's achievement is that he hailed from a family with a modest income," said principal of Kendrapara Autonomous College Sachidanand Sadangi.

"Anwar is good at his studies. He excelled in the 10th standard, Plus Two and Plus Three examination. I have another younger son and daughter. I sold off a decimal of land in Kendrapara town to meet with their academic expenses. With Anwar achieving the top rank in the joint entrance examination, I am now sure that selling off the land was a mistake," said Fallauddin

"There is no short-cut to success. I was very sincere towards my studies and it has borne fruit. Topping the entrance exam has motivated me to reach greater heights. I aim to excel in MBA and get a good job. My father is very supportive. Despite his limited income, he never let monetary constraints stop me from pursuing higher education. Enduring great hardship, my father provided me with money for my studies. I did not let him down," said Anwar.

"Anwar's academic success is inspirational given the fact that he hails from the minority community. People from the minority community here are lagging behind on the education front. Anwar has set an example for people from his community," said educationist and retired teacher of Kendrapara Autonomous College Bhagaban Jena.

"Anwar's family lives in our neighbourhood. From his school days, I had noticed a spark of brilliance in Anwar. I am extremely optimistic that students whose parents are poor will be inspired by Anwar's achievement," said Mohammad Mustaque, a lawyer.