An IIT-Kanpur alumnus at 14
What’s the one thing that most teenagers and 14 year old Sahal Kaushik do not have in common? A TV set. Because of the lack of an idiot box, expecting Sahal to be up to date with the latest episode of Splitsvilla or the latest match on Star Sports is expecting a bit much. But that doesn’t mean that he misses out. “I have a computer that takes care of all my knowledge needs. From good old Hindi movies to David Attenborough shows, I don’t miss out on anything!” he says cheerfully.
After having recently obtained 33rd rank in the all India IITJEE examination, Sahal has enrolled in an undergraduate course at IIT-Kanpur. The fact that he’s won the gold medal at the International Biology Olympiad in South Korea, two Asian Physics Olympiad medals — silver for 2009 and bronze for 2010, and has the position of a scholar at the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana all go to prove that this young man really does love what he’s studying!
If you aren’t already stunned, you might just be amazed to learn that all these accomplishments occurred during his school Boards. So does all work and no play make Sahal a dull boy? In Sahal’s case, the answer is most emphatically No! “I have never considered studies to be a necessary evil. I like learning new things which I can put to use in daily life,” he says, “It’s not just about science either. I enjoy things like geography and history too.” But doesn’t that mean that he has to study a lot? “No. No more than six hours a day, even while I was preparing for the IITJEE.” Sahal says, pointing out the significance of extra-curricular activities in his schedule, “I have always liked swimming, riding, Taek-wondo, shooting and mountaineering,” he says.
With so many hobbies, it must have been hard to focus on cracking the all India entrance exams. “Most students do the same — so it wasn’t that hard,” says Sahal.
But it must be tought for a 14 year old to fit in with 18 year old IITians. Again, in Sahal’s case, the answer would have to be no. Many of his batch mates admire him. A shy kid known for handing over the mike to his mother while he was quizzed about his secret driving force, Sahal has over 300 friends on Facebook. “Many of these friends have been made during participations at various competitions,” says his proud mother.
And what does Sahal plan to do in the long run?
“I want to specialise in physics or astrophysics and possibly go into research,” says the lad. In a case such as this, the moral is pretty clear — if you enjoy what you do, the sky is surely the limit!
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