It was a double dux celebra­tion for Bhawani Dayal Arya College during the school’s prizegiving ceremony yesterday.

Anjlin Lal and Shama Kumar, who are the Year 13 pure sci­ence students, both received the school’s 2020 dux award with $500 cash each, which was sponsored by a former student.

Anjlin, 19, said it was a great competition with the Shama and she was happy to be one of the two dux award recipients.

“The reason I studied pure sci­ence is because I want to become a doctor and study a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) next year,” she said.

She said though there was no scholarship for MBBS, her parents still opt to financially support her.

“My father is a very hardworking man and he wants me to fulfil my dream by becoming the first doc­tor in the family,” he said.

She also thanked the teachers, parents and her family members who mentored and supported her throughout her education.

Anjlin also won the first prize award for Year 13 and subject awards in English, Chemistry and Physics. She was the school’s high­est scorer with 380/400 in the Year 12 external exam.

Co-dux Shama, 18, said she had to sacrifice her passion for dance in order to focus more on studies.

“I perform at dance concerts and have travelled places to perform since Year Five, but I had to mini­mise my hobby to set up my goals in achieving a high mark for Year 13 externals,” she said.

She said she scored 377/400 in the Fiji Year 12 Certificate Exami­nation last year and she aimed to score 380 plus for the Year 13 final exams.

SPECIAL AWARDS:

• Highest Scorer FY10CE – Kelvin Gounder
• Highest Scorer FY12CE – Anjlin Lal

“My father is a taxi driver and I see the struggles he goes through to earn for us. The dux award is for him,” she said.

Shama wants to study for a Bach­elor of Medical Imaging Science at the Fiji National University next year.

Feedback: shreeya.verma@fijisun.com.fj