KOLKATA-BASED Arunavha Chanda (18) has made history by scoring a perfect 2,400 in the SAT (formerly known as Scholastic Assessment Test) subject tests — physics, chemistry and maths Level II. SAT is the common admission exam administered worldwide by the College Board, a US-based not-for-profit organisation for undergrad admissions into American and other varsities around the world. With acceptance of foreign applicants by top-ranked US varsities dipping to 1 percent this year, this academic topper has admission offers from not one, but five Ivy League schools including Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Dartmouth College and Georgia Tech.
The only child of medical practitioners — Amitabha, a consultant surgeon, and Bani Chanda — Arunavha, a class XII student of the CBSE-affiliated Delhi Public School, Ruby Park, Kolkata, attributes this extraordinary academic achievement to his parents. “Despite his busy schedule, my father took time out while my mother gave up her medical practice seven years ago to mentor and tutor me. Without their support and guidance, I could never have maxed SAT with close to zero stress,” he says.
Arunavha also concedes that spending his formative years in the US and Canada where he was initiated into a culture of holistic learning prior to relocating to Kolkata in 2003, may have given him an edge. “Far from being academics-focussed, I wanted to become a professional cricketer until 2006 when I was struck with synovitis, a debilitating disease that restricted leg movement for over four years. But I overcame this disability with the help of my parents and friends,” says this gritty teen. “The upside of forced rest and recreation was that I found a new friend in my computer, and my interest in STEM subjects has since grown into a passion,” he adds.
After evaluating all the scholarships awarded to him, Arunavha has accepted Columbia University’s offer and signed up for its four-year BS (computer science and engineering) degree programme starting this September. “Not only is Columbia an Ivy League university with distinguished alumni comprising 102 Nobel laureates, it is sited in happening New York city, and has the friendliest faculty. All this will motivate me to develop my skill-sets to become an IT entrepreneur and contribute to Indian society,” says this promising whiz kid.
Wind in your sails!
Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata)
Khanak Joshi
KHANAK JOSHI is an eight year old who has achieved early fame for singing a duet with renowned composer and playback singer Shankar Mahadevan. Raised in Haridwar (Uttar Pradesh) but currently based in Bangalore, this music prodigy was invited to sing a solo at the National Bal Kala Utsav, 2010, when she was only four years of age and is a sensation in North India’s music circuit with five renditions on national radio and television apart from numerous public performances to her credit.
According to her father, Rajesh, a professional astrologer and events manager, Khanak took to music when she was months old
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In 2012 when she was six, she was adjudged the best Hindustani music child vocalist at the National Bal Kala Utsav, Delhi, an award she won again in 2013. After training under Vidushi Uma Garg, dean of the faculty of music of Delhi University, last year she participated in the online Worldwide Indus Talent Hunt Competition, 2013, organised by Mahadevan and the top-rated Indus International School (IIS), Bangalore, where she was one of five finalists to secure full scholarships to complete her schooling at IIS and pursue her musical education at the online Shankar Mahadevan Academy (SMA).
The terms of the generous scholarships under which Khanak will be schooled at IIS and the music academy until she completes class XII, prompted the Joshis to relocate from the temple town and settle in Bangalore. “She is our only child, and we want to do everything we can to help Khanak realise her dreams,” says mother, Komal, a homemaker.
While listening to and practicing music is her first love, Khanak is also an avid swimmer and enjoys playing chess. Her parents are convinced this infant phenomenon is destined to make a mark in the world of classical and popular music. “Music is a full-time profession, just like any career in IT, engineering or medicine. If Khanak chooses to pursue it, her music education will be given top priority,” says Rajesh.
Equally enthusiastic about popular, including Bollywood, music, Khanak is training to audition for Indian Idol Junior. “I love all types of music and can pick up tunes and rhythms very quickly,” she enthuses.
Way to go!
Tarun Bhalla (Bangalore)