CBSE Class XII results were declared on 3rd May and once again we saw girls outshining boys. While there are many success stories floating around, the story of Sana Niyaz stands out as that of grit and perseverance.
17-year-old Sana topped all Delhi government schools, scoring 97.6% overall and a perfect 100 in history. She is a student of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya No. 2, Jama Masjid.
What makes Sana’s achievement stand out is the way she battled all constraints life threw at her to achieve this feat.
To start off, Sana’s father is a Cook at Al-Jawahar restaurant and the sole bread earner of the family. She is the fourth among the five sisters in the family and her mother is a house-wife. Sana and her sisters are the first generation in their family to have completed High-school education.
The family had to face a lot of criticism from their relatives who thought letting girls study is not a good choice.
Isra, Sana’s elder sister said:
“Our relatives tell our mother that girls should not study so much, ‘woh bigad jaayengi’.
No girl in the gullies around us has gone to college — with difficulty you will find some who are even allowed to go to school”
But their mother helped them draft the best response to these nosy relatives. She further shared:
“I have been blessed with five daughters and I have always been very clear that their education is most important to me. Our relatives are shocked that I haven’t taught them how to do housework, but I want them to focus on their studies.”
Sana who has always been a bright student at school was advised to take private tuitions or switch to private school. But knowing the financial limitations of the family, she made extra efforts to make up for it.
Sana mentioned:
“There were instances when my friends in the neighbourhood advised me to switch to a private school. They used to say I cannot do well in life after studying in a government school. But the private schools were expensive for us. I did not care about the suggestions and worked hard. I did not even take tuitions.”
Sana wants to be an IAS officer, told the press:
“First. I want to pursue BA (Honours) in Political Science from a top Delhi University college, and then will prepare for the civil services exam”
Sana’s achievement is no small feat in the world where girls have to fight for the very basic right to education.
She has proven to the world that determination and commitment can overcome not just financial challenges but also the societal pressures thrust upon them.
If you know of more inspiring stories like Sana, do share with us and we will publish it on our platform.