Hazra: A black belt in karate at 15, medals in national tournaments, the honour of being selected to represent India at the Commonwealth Karate Championships and among the top three in his class in academics.

Ayush Jha appears to have everything going for him that any other teenager might want, except perhaps his life of struggle. At an age when most boys lead a carefree existence, Ayush turns mathematics tutor after school to pay for his karate training and supplement his mother's income.

This Class X student of National High School was one of the recipients of the Surrendra Paul Memorial Award for Courage at The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2018 on Saturday, the inspiring story of his success in the face of odds inviting loud applause from a packed audience at Science City.

"I always felt it was my duty to help my mother after my father's death. When I got the opportunity to do so, I took it," Ayush, who contributes Rs 800 a month to the household income, told Metro afterwards.

The rest of the Rs 1,500 that he earns is spent on karate, including club fees, equipment and travel costs during competitions outside Calcutta.

Ayush's father died in 2010 when he was seven. For his mother - she is now an insurance agent - bringing him up and his younger brother was a daunting responsibility with "almost no support from family or relatives".

Cut to 2018 and Ayush is a young man with a dream backed by a fierce determination. His immediate goal is to do well for India at the 2018 Commonwealth Karate Championships in Durban, South Africa, from November 29 to December 2.

As the first black-belt holder from National High School, Ayush is the leader of a group of four from the school to make it to the national team for the Commonwealth competition. In May, he had won a gold and a bronze at the 17th All India Inter School and Senior Karate Championships in Delhi. Two more gold medals came at the 4th International Open Karate Championship in the city last month.

Although karate and his responsibilities put demands on his time, studies have never taken the backseat. "Ayush is sincere in his studies and ranks second or third in class. Looking at him, nobody can understand the struggles," Arpita Rudra, the coordinator of the secondary section of National High School, said.

Mini Nair, the principal of National High School's Hazra campus, described Ayush as a meritorious student who knows how to balance studies and karate. "His mother was a bit concerned that he was prioritising karate, but we told her he can do that without compromising academics. It is a matter of pride for us that the efforts of such students are being recognised."

Ayush regards his positivity as his biggest strength. "When we moved to my maternal grandparents' place, six of us shared a room. I keep myself motivated to do my best so that we do not have to look for help or live through those days again," the teenager said.