A leaking roof, hours of toiling on the field and absence of a computer couldn’t stop these Madhyamik examinees from finding their place in the sun. Metro salutes them for their sheer grit

Joydeep Bala

A one-room house with an asbestos roof that makes it stifling in summer is where Joydeep Bala would study for hours while his mother cooked in a corner of the same room.

But Joydeep never complained — if anything, the constraints only made the 15-year-old strive that much harder.

“Earlier, our house had a tiled roof and it would leak during monsoon, now at least that has stopped,” said the student of Jodhpur Park Boys, who scored 598 in Madhyamik with a 100 in mathematics.

Son of a carpenter, Joydeep refuses to take credit for his success. “I have only studied but my parents have struggled for me,” he said.

Joydeep’s father, Nihar Ranjan Bala, had to quit studies because of family responsibilities, but he is determined to make sure his son doesn’t have to do the same.

“My husband studied till Class XI, but he wants his son to complete his studies and have a decent calling in life so that he does not have to undergo hardships like his father,” said mother Jharna, a homemaker, who would much rather buy her son a book than get herself a new sari.

“There have been times when we have sacrificed our needs,” said Jharna whose husband earns around Rs 3,000 a month.

Joydeep’s parents weren’t the only ones burying their wishes. “He never even demanded a new T-shirt for Durga Puja,” said Nihar.

If Joydeep’s result has brought joy to the family, it has brought a new worry — how to pay for the boy’s studies in the science stream.

Nesar Khaled

If vacations mean heading for a hill station or a beach town for many students, for Nesar Khaled it meant going off to his village to help his father on the field.

Nesar’s father, a potato farmer at Bamungram in Malda, earns around Rs 2,000 but that is hardly enough to feed a family of five. “He toils all day in the scorching summer sun but he does not want me to be a farmer like him. Instead, he sent me to the Khalatpur centre of Al-Ameen Mission in Howrah, so that I could make a career for myself. The least I can do is to help him during my vacations. The days I help him, he finishes his work a little earlier,” said the 16-year-old student of Kakra High School in Howrah who has notched up a total of 628 in Madhyamik.

The boy, who was admitted to Al-Ameen Mission three years ago, dreams of studying engineering from IIT. “I want to be a software engineer. But it is a long way ahead,” Nesar said.

Farhin Shabnam

A score of 640 has failed to satisfy Farhin Shabnam, who is intent on fulfilling his father dream by becoming a cardiologist.

Sayadul Islam, a tuition teacher with a monthly income of Rs 3,500-4,000, could not study beyond graduation because of financial constraints but wants his daughter to chart a different course.

“I completed my graduation with accountancy honours and took admission in Calcutta University for postgraduation. But I had to quit midway because of financial problems and have since been working as a tuition teacher,” Sayadul said. “I want to see my children make it big and I have never differentiated between my son and daughters.”

Sayadul admitted his daughter to Al-Ameen Mission though he has been struggling to pay the fee. “There have been several occasions when I have failed to pay the fee and it has been waived,” he said.

Farhin, who scored 97 in maths and physical science and 93 in life science, often could not buy textbooks but never complained. “Why should I? I borrowed books from my friends or from the library. My father is doing so much for me,” she said.

Avirup Datta

Avirup and his mother Srinanda Datta’s struggle began around five years ago, when his father succumbed to brain tumour. Avirup was then in Class V.

Avirup’s father owned a business in mechanical parts but had to sell it off because of his illness. He underwent two operations and suffered for around a year before losing the battle in 2007.

But mother and son never gave up. “The school took care of his fee, books and uniform,” said Srinanda. “But I have had to be very careful of how and on what I spend on.”

The student of Ramakrishna Mission, Baranagar, has scored 560 in Madhyamik and his mother is now worried about the future.

“I want to admit him to a government school near my house in Bagbazar so that there is not much expense in commuting,” said Srinanda, adding that her son never makes any demands. “His friends have computers at home but never has he asked me for one or shown any grievance about not having one.”

Anindya Shankar Das

Debdas Das sells potatoes and onions and his wife Alo works in a beauty parlour. Together, they dream of a bright academic career for their son.

Anindya Shankar Das has surely done his parents proud by scoring 561 in Madhyamik.

“I am a vegetable vendor but I have tried my best to support my son,” said Debdas Das, a resident of Sinthee.

Anindya’s parents are grateful to Ramakrishna Mission, Baranagar, where he studied for waiving the fee and giving the boy a stipend.

“It was difficult to pool in money for his tuitions. We had to seek help from our relatives,” said Alo. The couple’s monthly income works out to around Rs 3,000.

“My priority is to get him established in life, so that he does not have to struggle. That is my duty as a parent and I do not expect anything in return,” said Alo.