Chief minister Naveen Patnaik with Rakesh Ranjan Nayak, the IIT topper from Phulbani district and (below) students who excelled at the Pathani Samanta Mathematics Scholarship Examination at the state-level felicitation ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Friday. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, May 18: Rakesh Ranjan Nayak has proved that determination can overcome the most daunting odds. Rakesh, who is a son of a grocery store owner in Sarangada of Phulbani district, has topped the state list in this year’s IIT entrance test, the results of which were announced today.

The number of candidates from Odisha to crack the exam this time has gone up to 240 compared to 170 the last year. Overwhelmed by the news, Rakesh, who has secured an all-India general rank of 154, said: “I am overjoyed.” He added that he would opt for the electrical engineering branch.

The eldest of the three children of his parents, Rakesh completed his Class XII from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in the nondescript village of Todipaju, Phulbani.

He dropped a year to prepare for the IIT entrance and enrolled at a private coaching institute in Bhubaneswar.

“My father, Raj Kishore Nayak, and maternal uncle, Prabhat Kumar Nayak, arranged for the money for my stay at the institute. It must have been a big burden on them as the coaching alone cost Rs 36,000,” he said. In the all-India OBC list, he has secured 18th rank.

Rakesh also met chief minister Naveen Patnaik at his chamber in the state secretariat this afternoon. “He is the pride of Odisha,” Naveen said, shaking Rakesh’s hand.

Others from the state in the top-1000 ranks are Rajat Kumar Panda from Bhadrak (195), Anand Panda from Cuttack (219), Rishav Pati from Bhubaneswar (262), Rohit Aggarwal from Kantabanji (444), Abhisek Mishra from Nayagarh (720), Piyush Jain from Bhubnaeswar (788), Anubhav Mohanty from Bhubaneswar (879) and Sabyasachi Mishra from Nayagarh (968).

IIT-Bhubaneswar registrar B.K. Ray said 1,991 students had qualified the exam from the east zone, which includes Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand and Vijayawada. The counselling for general candidates will begin tomorrow and continue till June 10.

Maths wizards

In a separate event today, the chief minister felicitated students, who excelled in the Pathani Samanta Mathematics Scholarship Examination held last year.

The school and mass education department last May launched the merit-based scholarship scheme to encourage maths wizards in government and government-aided schools in rural Odisha.

Around 7,500 students in classes VI to XII will be covered under the scheme. “This initiative must continue for the growth of the science and technology sector. My government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for four years for awarding scholarships to meritorious students in rural areas,” said Naveen.

A total of 4,000 students from classes VI to VIII would be given a monthly scholarship amount of Rs 200. There are 2,500 scholarships of Rs 300 for students in classes IX and X and 1,000 scholarships of Rs 500 for students in classes XI and XII.