17-Year-Old NDA Topper Passes up on IIT to ‘Serve the Country’

The 17-year-old all-rounder from Ramnagar, who never took any coaching, believes in ‘controlling his routine’.

Shivansh Joshi. 

(Photo: Facebook)

For Shivansh Joshi, topping the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examination and a meritorious performance in the entrance examination for the Indian Institute of Technology brought many reasons for his kins to cheer. But for the 17-year-old, the road to success was etched with confusion.

Shivansh had cleared Class XII examinations from Little Scholar’s School in Kashipur with a score of 96.8%. His dream of joining the armed forces came true when he saw his name displayed on top of the merit list on 25 November, reported The Hindustan Times.

His decision to choose NDA over IIT may have ended the predicament, but it did astonish his parents, teachers and friends. He told the paper that his capabilities will be honed better at NDA than IIT.

“I am inspired by those who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives for our country. I too want to contribute to the development of my country. I can do that better as a man in uniform,” he told India Today.

The lad from Uttarakhand's Ramnagar rejoices the fact that almost every village has given birth to many uniform-clad personnel from his native place, including national security advisor Ajit Doval and chief of army staff Bipin Rawat.

His impassioned resolve to serve the country has been a dream since childhood which he will start reliving from now on. Joshi proudly raptured that he never had any ‘training or coaching for the NDA’

His father Sanjeev Joshi is an employee with the Life Insurance Corporation and his mother Tanuja Joshi is a government primary school teacher. Ecstatic to know that his son will wear a uniform, his father told India Today that he has always been an all-rounder who managed his time well and excelled in both studies and sports.

Shivansh, who is touted to be the first youngster from Uttarakhand to top the NDA examination, believes that a dedicated routine is crucial to cracking entrances. But he also acknowledges that the road ahead will be paved with challenges.

“I know the training at NDA will be very tough. IIT would have meant an easier life. But I am prepared for a tough life. The aim is to do something for the country,” says Shivansh, who wishes to see his brother to follow in his footsteps. 

(With inputs from India Today and Hindustan Times.)

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