A student of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls School in Baghbazar, Adrija scored 487 marks and stood joint 10th in the merit list released by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE).Earlier he also secured 94% marks in Madhyamik or Class 10 board exams.Adrija’s health battle began in 2018 when she was giving her class 6 annual exams. He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of cancer.Her father, Joymangal Gan, said the family still remembers the difficult years of treatment and the uncertainty.“He was never asked to study. In fact, we had to ask him to stop studying and rest,” he told news agency PTI/.Joymangal Gan, who teaches political science at the Tiki House government-sponsored multipurpose boys’ school, said Adrija was first treated at the Tata Memorial Hospital before continuing treatment at the Tata Cancer Hospital in Kolkata.“He underwent 82 chemotherapy sessions before quitting treatment in June 2021. Even now, he has to undergo regular check-ups every year in Kolkata and Mumbai,” he said.During the most difficult phase of treatment, his mother Jyoti Gunn, a teacher at Belgharia Boys’ School, stayed with him in Mumbai.The family said the long treatment created emotional and financial strain, but Adrija remained determined.“I’m proud not only of her results, but of the fight she’s shown in life,” her father said.A student of the arts stream, Adrija studied geography, economics, computer applications and psychology in higher secondary. She now wants to study psychology and hopes to join Bethune College.According to her father, she wants to work in the field of mental health and contribute to understanding depression and human behavior.Apart from studies, Adrija enjoys singing and reading Bengali literature. Saratchandra Chattopadhyay is one of his favorite authors.Asked what message she would like to give to others facing similar struggles, Adrija said, “I want to keep trying. Trying is what matters most.”
