CITY TOPPER

Bagging the top slot comes naturally to this Thane girl

Nitin Yeshwantrao | TNN

Thane: Sonali Shantaram Chavan, who has topped the Mumbai region in the state board exams with 96.46%, has become a local celebrity in her school, Saraswati Secondary School. But excelling in academics is not new to her: the 16-yearold has a stellar report card. “I won a silver medal in the state scholarship exams in Std IV. In Std VI, I bagged a gold medal in the Homi Bhabha Balvidnyanik examination. Last year, I secured a silver in the seniors category in the Homi Bhabha examination,’’ said the Thane girl.

Sonali is not the kind to rest on her laurels. “I intend to join an IIT and pursue a career in engineering. I have already enrolled in a coaching class and have started preparations for the entrance exams. For now, though, I will take admission in the science stream at M H College in Thane,’’ she said, while signing on notebooks forwarded to her by the primary section children of her school.

Unlike most high scorers who gloss over the study time they put in, Sonali said that she studied till 12.30am every day. “Most of my coaching was done by my school teachers. At home, my grandmother would be by my side all along to give me company and also ensure that I was studying. My father would help me in math.’’

School principal Shaila Barve said, “Sonali has been a perfect student. She was among the 30 students from our school, who were chosen for special coaching during the holidays.’’

Shantaram Chavan, her father, added: “She is a perfectionist and gives full attention to whatever she does.’’