09 May,2026 08:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Aditi Alurkar
Aarti and Alok Sawardekar, who both took the board examinations this year and secured the same percentage — 46 per cent. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Tales of resilience and dedication came to the fore after the Maharashtra State Board released the Std X Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam results on Friday, May 8. One such story is that of mother-son duo Aarti and Alok Sawardekar, who both took the board examinations this year and secured the same percentage - 46 per cent.
The Sawardekars, who reside in Aarey Milk Colony, began their journey when Aarti started searching for the perfect school for her son. "Alok is a slow learner and we kept changing his schools since we could not find a perfect fit. Eventually, I learned about the evening school run by Masoom Foundation, where I would drop him off every evening at 4 pm," Aarti told mid-day.
In Mira Road, a student from St Xavier's High School, Shanti Park, had to make a critical choice right in the midst of her exams. Angel Thekkevilayil, 15, experienced abdominal pain right before her Science examination and was rushed to the hospital by her parents. Diagnosed with acute appendicitis, she was asked to undergo an appendectomy. However, the student pleaded with the doctors, rushed to the exam hall for her paper, and then went back to the OT to finish her procedure. She scored 91.40 per cent.
Another such story of grit was that of 17-year-old Rudransh Mishra, a resident of Mulund, who secured 91.2 per cent despite being partially blind since childhood. Studying at Sou Laxmibai English Medium School, Rudransh prepared for the board examinations with the help of his parents, as tuition classes were too costly. "I have been studying for the exams for over a year. At school, I used to study with my friends after lectures and at home I studied with my mother. Since the past year, I have been travelling over the weekends to the National Association of Blind in Worli to prepare," he told mid-day. Mishra took regular tests without a writer. "It was difficult at first, but I got used to it. In case of any hiccups, the authorities present would help me out." Rudransh aspires to become a computer engineer.
Shravan Vishwakarma, a Mulund resident, had been waging a battle by himself since early childhood. This BMC school student had suffered from leukaemia. After persisting through chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bone marrow transplants, and even COVID-19 treatments, the student has cleared Std X with 56 per cent. "I am happy that I have passed. I want to pursue Commerce depending on the college I get. My health has, thankfully, improved and I will soon get another checkup done in July," said the student.
Day in and day out, the mother would take her son to the learning centre and wait there until he finished his studies. Until one day, the professors encouraged her to take up the challenge herself. "I had seen my friends take the board exam as adults, so I thought I would give it a shot alongside my son. We would travel together, study together, and leave for home early," she said. Aarti had only studied up to Std VII, and the 43-year-old resumed her educational journey after a long hiatus, all for her son. After a year's break, the duo is to appear for Std XII.
