When Rashmi and Shilpashree M R found their names among the list of toppers in post-graduation and graduation respectively, it wasn’t a surprise for them.
It was rather a reminiscent of the glorious past, for having emerged toppers from SSLC till date.
A native of ore rich Bellary, Rashmi has bagged highest of 13 gold medals and three prizes in MA Economics. Ask her about the feat, she says- ‘I didn’t study for the sake of winning applause, but to acquire knowledge.
Moreover, I do not believe in burning midnight lamp’. What has trebled her joy is, she claims to be the only student to clear National Entrance Test (NET) and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in the same academic year.
The fellowship has guaranteed her ` 19,000 per month, helping her meet expenditure.
Being an outsider, she couldn’t get a PG seat at the varsity here under the respective quota. She owes it to inordinate delay on her part, that forced her to opt for management quota, spending heavily. Understanding the travails involved, Rashmi dedicates her achievement to those students who missed the chance of higher education by a whisker.
Her immediate aim is PhD, but for career she has civil services in mind. “I want to be a part of policy making ”, says Rashmi in a confident tone, who wanna pursue either IAS or IES (Indian Economics Service).
She was also a topper of ASM Women’s College in Bellary, securing 83.3 per cent in BA. Earlier in Second PUC, she had scored 84.6 per cent, highest in Bellary city. In SSLC she was among the toppers of the district scoring 90.72 per cent.
Rashmi is the proud daughter of R K Prasad Rao, superintendent at the office of SP, Bellary and homemaker M T Nagarathna.
The story of Shilpashree M R is also no different.
Hailing from the family of agriculturists in M Shettalli in neighbouring Srirangapatna taluk in Mandya district, she has secured 10 gold medals and nine prizes.
She did her BA (HEP) in Mallamma Marimallappa’s College of Arts and Commerce here. “I studied for six to seven hours daily with breaks at time”, said Shilpashree when asked about her study schedule. She thanked her teachers, parents and also friends for encouraging her to continue success streak.
District topper
She was the district topper in PUC with 89 per cent and first in taluk level in SSLC scoring 92.64 pc. She also wants to pursue civil service exams, for which she has chosen political science in her master’s. Shilpashree is the proud daughter of Ramu M N and Meenakshi couple.
The other notable toppers were- Shilpa S, MA, Sanskrit with six gold medals and two prizes, Shailaja G, M Sc, Chemistry, 11 gold medals and four prizes, Mahadevkumar, M SC, Botany, six gold medals and three prizes and Sandesh B, M Sc, Mathematics, five gold medals and three prizes.
Honoris Causa
Veerappa Moily (doctor of law) and two others-Prof M R Doreswamy, Chairman, PES Institutions, Bangalore and Dr Deviprasad Shetty, MD, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore were conferred with honoris causa in ‘Doctor of Education’ and ‘Doctor of Science’ respectively. Sarod artiste Pt Rajeev Taranath (Doctor of Literature) could not make it to the convocation, while another honoris causa on late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar (posthumous), founder of the varsity will be conferred later. Royal scion Srikantadatta Narasimharaaja Wadiyar, the grandson of the erstwhile king will be receiving the honour in another ceremony.
