Topping the Charts

My younger sister Nain’s results for First year gradation were declared that day. We went to her college to see her results. Students gathered at the notice board. They were pushing each other to see their result. I asked Amit to go and see Nain’s result. He is too lazy as he answered me that he would go after the crowd gets scattered. Now, there were only few students left so we went to see her results on the notice board kept outside the college office. I was searching her name on the board. But did not find. I was so engrossed in searching her name in the list that later I realized that I was searching Khushboo Sharma’s name. I went into the past.

I passed my graduation with flying colours but I was not happy my with marks. That time I was at home and was not in the hostel. Mum and my siblings were happy for me for being the first girl in the whole family to learn till graduation. But mum’s dream was still not fulfilled. She wanted to see her kids going beyond their ability. She wanted to make us independent enough to earn for ourselves. She was feminist, I would either say. She was very happy to listen that I had passed my B.Sc. final year exam with really good marks. The atmosphere in the family was bright and merry.

Mum called my father and gave him the good news. Father was in Hyderabad for job. He was very happy to hear the news. He told mum that he would send some gifts and some cash for my further study. My mum also called my uncle for sharing the good news. But she got bad comments from my uncle as her share. When she called my uncle and told that I has passed my final year exam with good marks, uncle was not happy at all. In return he sarcastically told my mum that now days anyone could pass the exam. He also told that passing exam is not so hard and there are thousands of graduate sitting without any job. Uncle was not happy on my success. He was envy that his daughter did not even pass her 10^th standard. His rude talk had hurt my mother. She cut the phone and cried a lot. We sisters tried to make her smile with our foolish, childish actions. Somehow she managed to smile but I could see that she was still sad with the way the uncle complimented my success. I was also very angry on him. So I decided to show everyone what a girl can do when the world doubts her talent.

That time we were in financial problems. Sometimes destiny tests your patience. I was hoping that the suffering time just pass away soon. But it did not. At the same time papa did not send money to us due to his late salary. And on top of that the education of all four of us. Admissions were supposed to start from the next month. Admission fees, stationary were going to cost a lot. So I decided to help my family financially by taking some home tuitions. I opened a private coaching class at my home. For first week, there were only 4 students in the class but from the next week number of students started increasing. My mum suggested my class to the neighbours. My friends as well suggested my name to their relatives and neighbours. Somehow, with God’s grace, I managed to get 15 children. I felt proud of myself that I am literally helping my family financially. I started getting more than 2000 rupees each month. It was enough for our admissions.

I got admission in M.Sc. I was very confused with which subjects I should go for specialization. As I was very interested in teaching and understanding human nature, I decided to go with Human Development (Child Psychology). My experience with kids during private home tuitions also helped me in making the decision. I discussed with mom regarding the specialization. She was happy with my decision. She used to think the same way like me that if the teacher understands the child then any child in this worlds can turn into Einstein. Yes, I was on the way to my teaching career.

People say that psychology is very difficult but I never found it difficult. It was very interesting for me. I would say that it is the most interesting subject on the face of the Earth. I want to give the credit to my teachers. They were so good in their subject that I did not feel of bunking the class even for a day. I used to attend all the classes in my M.Sc. year. My friends used to say that the psychology subject had changed my ‘psychology’.

College was going on. I used to study everyday for an hour but it did not mean that I was very bore in the college days. I actively participated in all the college activities. As I was brought up in the co-ed school where boys and girls used to study together, I used to talk to boys in the college. I did not know that, here in Maharashtra, boys have the assumption that if a girl talks to them, it means the girl likes them. Same thing happened with me. I used to talk to boys. It affected me in another way. The girls from my class started thinking that I had an affair with them. Even one of the boys tried to publicized me by telling that I was engaged to him. I felt sad for their cheap mentality. From that time, I stopped talking to boys. I was good in studies as well as good in extracurricular activities like dancing, singing and drama so I had always been an attraction for boys. But I was attracted towards my studies. I did not entertain boys in my college life.

College competitions were on the charts. Everybody was preparing themselves in one or other way. There were some sports girls who started working hard for the sports competitions. I also started practicing for my dance competitions. As we know that if we have the spirit to win and hard work to assist, luck always helps us. The luck helped me this time also. I won the dance competition. But it was not the end of the show. I participated in the college competition named “Beautiful Face of The Year” and luck proved me right this time also. I won the beauty contest in the college also. I won prizes in almost all the competitions I took part in. At the end of the college competitions, the final results were displayed on the notice board.

Competition	Winner
Dance competition	Khushboo Sharma
Elocution Competition	Nidhi Jain
100 mtr Run	Purnima Ranjan
Drawing competition	Khushboo Sharma
Face of the year	Khushboo Sharma
Chess competition	Sofia Hussain
Solo- Singing Competition	Khushboo Sharma
Traditional wear competition	Radha Agrawal
Ms. L.A.D. Of the year	Khushboo Sharma

I did not know that notice was put on the board. My friend Garima told me that I had won almost all the competitions in the college. When I went to see the final results notice, there was crowd at the notice board. Somehow I managed to create the way by pushing people aside. I saw the notice on the board. I was too happy seeing my name that I tears flow down my cheeks. I topped the charts in the competitions in the college and on top of it I was Ms. L.A.D. Now I was very eager to give the news to mum.

On weekend, I went home shouting and told mom about the prizes I had won. Everybody was happy in the family. It was a party time for us. So mum made chaat for us in the dinner. We enjoyed the food. That day I realized that hardwork never fails. Now my next target was to top the charts in the Nagpur University and I was moving towards it.

Though I was very popular in studies as well as in curricular activities, I was always on ground. I did not show off my talents and skills. But on the other hand was, one of my friend, Nidhi who always used to compete with me. She was a true genius. I used to respect her as I respect myself. Last three years she had been topping the college merit charts and she was sure this time also. I knew that she will top the merit. I always used to support her morally. I used to think that she is very helpful but she proved me wrong one day.

Semester exams were going on. Though these exams are not counted for annual marks still I was seriously studying. When the results were declared, I came to know that Nidhi had got 2 marks more than me. I was happy for her. I went to her to congratulate and to ask her that I wanted to see her paper in which I have got less marks. I wanted to discuss some questions with her which I knew she could answer me properly. There were all the friends sitting in the college café. I asked her my doubt but instead of answering me properly and clearing my doubts, she made my fun. “Why do you want to know these answers Khushboo? Do you want to top the college?” She said in a sarcastic tone. All the girls started laughing at me saying that ‘Khushboo can never top the college’. I was very sad for knowing her true face and also for the fact that she made my fun in front of all the girls.

That night I could not sleep properly. The whole night I was thinking about how can my friend talk to me like that. Now I decided not to trust anyone even a friend. I promised myself that I will top the college. It was not only a promise but was also about my dignity and pride. I did not want to take revenge but just wanted to prove myself. I was waiting for the right blow.

I used to study from the first day of college but this incident made me study three hours a day. I used to go spend time studying various books in the library and taking notes. I missed my afternoon lunch also many a times. Read and write, make notes, read the notes again and again make them shorter to remember, was my work in last one month of the examinations. I was eagerly waiting for M.Sc. II year exam.

Exams got over. It was good. I wrote all the answers properly and was sure about their correctness. After two months, results were declared. I was at the home. I was called by the Principal ma’am in the college. I thought may be for some formalities like T.C. she had called me. I went to the college. As well as I entered the college, I saw that the college office was decorated with flowers and rangoli. I entered into Principal’s office. I was surprised and wondering what was going on.

I was called by the Principal ma’am in her cabin. I went inside with little nervousness. Ma’am told me to sit. I sat. My throat was dry due to nervousness.

“Congratulations Khushboo!”, Principal ma’am said shaking my hands with hers.

I was surprised for the congratulations. Why this lady was congratulating me. I did not understand. I thought that I was selected by the college for one of the state level dance competitions.

“Why ma’am?”, I asked her.

“You have topped the Nagpur University. You came first in the university in M.Sc. You have made us proud. After a long time department of Human Development of our college came in the merit list.”

For a while I thought that it was a dream. Because I never thought that I would top the university. But it was not a dream, I had really topped the university merit charts in M.Sc. I was too happy to speak. I was speechless. I did not have words to express my happiness. In that outburst of happiness I even forgot to thank principal ma’am. Tears once again flowed on my cheeks.

I went home to share the happy news. Mum saw me coming with watery eyes. She was confused what happened with me. She might be thinking that I had a fight with one the friends. I went running and hugged her. I was still crying.

Mum asked me, ”Arre, kya hua rone ke liye? Kisi se zagda hua hai kya?” She asked.

I was still crying keeping my head on her shoulder. “Arre bata to sahi kya hua.” She asked one more time.

Somehow I controlled my happiness and told her that I had topped the university. Now this time she started crying but I did not ask her why she was crying. Whenever mum cried we used to do some crazy things to make her laugh, but today we did not do crazy things to stop her cry. She was happier than me. That day she might have felt that she is the best mother in the world.

That was my day. I called my father to tell the good news. I also called my relatives to tell what the magic my mother had done with us. It was all my mum’s grace that made me achieve this goal. Her hardwork had given the fruit to us.

I was getting ready to go to the sweet shop to purchase some sweets. It was a great day of my life and I wanted to thank God so I decided to go to the temple with sweets as prashad. As I was about to leave the house, I saw Nidhi standing at the door. She had a polythin bag with her. She was watching me eagerly. I waited and asked her to come in. We sat. She congratulated me for the success at the same time tears flowed down her cheeks. I could not understand the expressions on her face whether she was happy or sad. I was confused.

“Khushboo, I am really very sorry for that incident. But you proved that you are the topper of not only the college but also of university.” She hugged me and burst into tears. I was happy that she realized her mistake but I was more happy that I had got my lost friend back.

Nain hugged me tightly. “Mickey Di, I passed my first year. I am so happy.” She said in a merry voice which brought me back from my college days.

“Yes, even I am very happy. Tonight we will have a party for you and your friend and it is my treat.”

Listening this she had a ear to ear smile on her face as she did not have to spend any money from her pocket.