Thaibi Mukherjee, who died of jaundice and liver failure on April 16, scored 96.29 per cent in Madhyamik and topped her school.

The 15-year-old from Asansol had died at a hospital in Tamil Nadu on April 16 while she was waiting for ₹55 lakh, out of a total cost of ₹1 crore for her liver transplant.

“What will we do with this success when the person is not alive? The marksheet will remain a piece of paper for us for the rest of our lives,” said Vivekananda Mukherjee, the girl’s father, a homeopath in Asansol. Thaibi was his only daughter.

Doctors at the hospital in Vellore prescribed her liver transplantation, which was to cost around ₹1 crore.

The girl died while efforts were being made by her parents to arrange for the large sum.

Teachers of Umarani Gorai Mahila Kalyan High School, where she had studied, Thaibi’s neighbours and relatives, and some social organisations joined hands to raise the funds. By the time ₹45 lakh was raised, she had died.

Thaibi wrote her exam in February, although she was suffering from fever and abdominal pain. After the exams, she was diagnosed with jaundice.

Initially, the girl had been treated at a hospital in Asansol and shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad in March for better medication. When her condition deteriorated, she was airlifted to Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore. She was diagnosed with acute jaundice.

Thaibi scored 99 out of 100 marks in Bengali. Her marks were 92 in English, 98 in mathematics, 97 in physics, 98 in life science and 95 each in history and geography. The overall grade was AA.

“Thaibi was a very good student at our school, and we expected that her performance in the exams would be outstanding. But I never thought we would lose her. She was suffering from jaundice. We raised funds from whatever sources we had for her treatment. We all used to love her. She would have been a state topper if she could write her exams in good health,” said Papri Banerjee, teacher-in-charge of the school.

Thaibi was an artist and liked drawing.

“My granddaughter was fond of drawings and used to get prizes in competitions. Our world has become dark now. What was her fault? Why did she have to leave for the heavenly abode?” asked Sabita Mukherjee, her grandmother.