The All India Science Topper couldn’t afford school

A TOI report highlights how the topper, couldn't afford to continue studying in the Sainik School where he did his 10th, until a mentor came along who financed his study.

A HT report says, never leave till tomorrow what you can do today. This was the success mantra of Mohammad Ismat, who topped the All India CBSE Class 12 exam, the results of which were declared on Monday.He was a student of Zenith Academy, Sangaiprou in Manipur's Imphal west district.

Ismat fell short of 100% only in English (he scored 98%) and in the rest of the subjects - Mathematics, Chemistry, Home Science and Fine Arts - he scored full marks.With a grand score of 498 out of 500 or 99.6%, Ismat is the allIndia CBSE topper in Science.

The son of a retired primary school teacher Mv Bashirur Rahman, Ismat is the youngest among seven sisters.He wants to pursue Physics (Honours) from St Stephen's College in Delhi, and crack the Civil Service exam later.

NDTV story on the Manipuri boy's dream

Referring to last year's four month long blockade of the national highways to Manipur, the economic lifeline of the state, Ismat said, "The turmoil in the state was a stumbling block but it worked as a challenge of sorts."A resident of Lilong Haoreibi Mayai Leikai village in Imphal, Ismat was among 497 students of the Zenith Academy, of which 489 have secured first division in the Class 12 examination.S Manaoton, founding secretary of the academy, who funded Ismat's education, wants him to work for the nation. Manipur minister and local MLA Abdul Nasir has announced a grant of R1,11,111 for the topper.