'Lost my grandmother to cancer': NEET UG 2026 topper Aryan Gupta reveals reason behind oncology ambition

Ludhianabased Aryan Gupta one of the cotoppers of the NEET UG 2026 examination said he was thrilled to secure the top rank and revealed that he aspires to become an oncologistGupta shared the All India Rank AIR 1 with Haryanas Panshul Bansal after both candidates scored 715 out of 720 marks Speaking to reporters on Friday he credited his parents for their unwavering support throughout his preparation journey and said he studied for nearly 16 to 17 hours a dayIt feels like a dreamA total of 1121 lakh candidates qualified the medical entrance examination this year according to the National Testing Agency NTASpeaking about his achievement Gupta who comes from a family of doctors said securing AIR 1 felt surrealMy father and mother are both doctors The entire family is very happy he said PTI reportedWATCH Punjab Aryan Gupta from Ludhiana secures Rank 1 in reNEET 2026 examination celebrates with his parentsHe says I have secured 715 marks out of 720 I studied a lot I am happy to get the result of the hard work I have put in Both my parents are doctors and myhellip pictwittercomC27prQU5gMmdash ANI ANI July 17 2026Gruelling preparation behind the successReflecting on his preparation strategy Gupta highlighted the hard work and dedication that went into achieving the top rankI studied for 1617 hours a day There were days when I did not get enough sleep But I kept going because I had set a goal for myself he said reported PTIAccording to NTA data more than 93 per cent of the 138 candidates who scored above 690 marks were appearing for NEET UG for the first time A total of 19 candidates scored 700 or above while 1492 candidates scored 650 and above and 10160 candidates scored 600 or moreInspired by personal lossGupta said he hopes to specialise in oncology and shared the personal experience that motivated his career choiceI want to become an oncologist My grandmother died of cancer when I was in Class III That day I made a promise to myself that I would work in this field he saidThere is so much to do in life But right now I am feeling happy This achievement belongs to my parents teachers and everyone who believed in me he addedFamily celebrates achievementFollowing the announcement of the results Guptas family celebrated his success with congratulatory messages pouring in from political leaders and wellwishersPolitical leaders congratulate topperPunjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring congratulated Gupta on securing AIR 1Heartiest congratulations to Aryan Gupta on securing AIR 1 in NEET UG What a proud moment for Punjab My heartfelt congratulations to Aryan his parents and the entire family Your success has made Punjab proud Warring said in a post on XAddressing students he added There are no shortcuts to success Stay focused work hard every day believe in yourself and never give up even when the journey feels tough Hard work patience and perseverance always lead to great resultsShiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also congratulated Gupta on his achievementThis is not just the victory of one student It is the victory of every mother who stays awake to support her childs dreams It is the victory of every father who works day and night to make those dreams come true It is the victory of the entire Punjab Majithia said reported PTIAryan your hard work discipline and the sacrifices made by your family have become an inspiration for millions of young people today he addedWith PTI inputs