Books and Robots - on the journey of success

Today was a special day. My son's results for 10th standard were announced today and he cleared the exam with flying colors. Three subjects with A* grade and remaining three with A grade, totaling about 87% of the score. 

However, what makes this achievement special isn't just the marks themselves but the journey and other accomplishments he garnered along the way.

If you have been following my posts on various other platforms, you probably already know that Mrunmay has participated in the Robotics competition - FTC - First Tech Challenge. This was a very competitive event where his team had to compete against some of the best teams in India and prove their mettle. The FTC is not only about robotics competition alone but is about a few other aspects of life as well.  This includes outreach, STEM-D promotion, fundraising etc. The team, comprising 15 children, was preparing for the competition the entire year and the competition was scheduled for the last week of January earlier this year. And guess what the board exams were scheduled in the following week itself. During the year, they spent several weekends doing outreach (teaching robotics in some schools or similar organisations), reaching out to businesses to raise funding, and  preparing for the actual robot competition. 

We were aware of the possibility that these two critical events would coincide, and Mrunmay prepared himself mentally for the challenge. His mock exams started in November and continued until the end of January, requiring him to balance his studies with the intense preparation for the robotics competition. Both pursuits were significant to him, and seeing the outcomes of both, I can confidently say he has manged this very well.

In the robotics competition, Mrunmay's team won the prestigious 'Inspire Award' which meant a chance to participate at the world stage. Not just that, their team was also in the top 4 finalists in the Nationals. 

[Photo taken just after the award ceremony, team holding the Inspire Award Trophy, along with two of the mentors]

And now, his studies have also shown the result with a remarkable A* in three subjects. I must also mention that he had chosen Computer Science as his 6th subject and he studied entirely on his own, as the subject was not taught in the school, but it was his interest area.

When Mrunmay shared his results this morning, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and joy. His hard work and dedication have paid off on both fronts. I am confident that this experience and the lessons learned will shape his formative years as he moves towards his professional aspirations in coming years. Looking forward to many more proud moments with my son!