Grandmother’s dream powers Shahinah to Dux title

At 14, Shahinah Nisha of Ahmadiyya Primary School in Nasinu has achieved what many only dream of. She is the proud Dux of 2025.

But behind her medals and high scores stands the woman who carried her through every struggle: her grandmother.

Raised by her grandmother, father and stepmother, Shahinah said she never felt alone.

“I never thought of asking why my mother wasn’t with us,” she said. “I had my dad and my grandmother. It never felt like anything was missing.”

Her results reflect her dedication:

• Mathematics – 98
• Social Science – 99
• Healthy Living – 98
• Basic Science – 96
• English – 93
• Hindi – 93

Her total marks come to 577 out of 600. For her, the real story lies in her heart.

“There were times I wanted to give up,” she said. “Most of the time, family problems came up. But every time I felt weak, I remembered my grandmother’s face. It is her dream to see me become something. That kept me going.”

She described her grandmother with a grateful smile.

“She’s strict but funny. She always encouraged me. She pushed me through every hard moment.”

Shahinah thanked her stepmother for stepping in with love, her father for always believing in her and her class teacher, Mrs Chand, who reminded her that “there is always room for improvement.”

With dreams of becoming a neurologist or general surgeon, she believes this is just the beginning.

Her message to other students: “Please don’t give up hope. I almost did. But when you keep hope alive, you can achieve every dream.”

And when asked who made her Dux title possible, she didn’t hesitate.

“It’s all because of my grandmother.”

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