IIT-JEE topper refuses to fit into stereotype

Minutes after results were announced, Tej, wearing a red blazer, told Deccan Herald that the secret of his success was ‘keeping it cool.’ Tej said he wanted to be an IAS officer and not  an IT worker. “I want to work amidst people and not get lost in the jungle of computer images.”

A student of Sri Chaitanya Junior College, Vijayawada, Tej has applied for a passport to attend an international Olympiad at Thailand and has not missed any IPL matches even during exams. Other rank holders from the state include V Shaimak Reddy (3rd), B Saikiran (4th), T Bhargava Reddy (8th) and J Varun (9th). Toppers from the reserved categories too have been from Andhra Pradesh, with Rama Krishna Banoth claiming the honour in the ST category and J Varun in the OBC category.

Parents of Prudhvi, Srinivasa Rao and Rani who run a jewelry shop  near Eluru of West Godavari district, were on cloud nine as they were on their way to meet Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp office who wanted to greet their son, the IIT topper.