Gumla: In a remote Gumla village, where schoolbooks share space with grazing ropes and farm tools, 17-year-old Krishni Kumari has scripted an extraordinary success story. The daughter of a farmer and a tribal student from Garwali–Ganguatoli village, Krishni emerged as the topper in arts stream in the district by securing 91% in the Class XII examination, whose results were declared by the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) on Wednesday.A student of Upgraded Government +2 High School, Puso, under Sisai block, Krishni secured 455 marks out of 500, scoring 95 in geography, 94 in economics, 93 in history, 89 in Kurukh and 84 in Hindi. She was grazing goats and oxen in her village when the school’s in-charge principal, Manoj Bhagat, called her on Wednesday to inform her of the results.A resident of Garwali–Ganguatoli village, Krishni walks two km to school when her bicycle breaks down. She is the fourth of five sisters — two are married, while an elder sister is pursuing graduation in Ranchi using funds from the Maiya Samman Yojna.Adversity deepened after her mother, Mariam Devi, suffered a stroke in April last year, leaving her unable to sit or stand. Since then, Krishni and her youngest sister Sudha Oraon, a Class X pass-out, have been managing all household responsibilities.“After school ends at 4 pm, I take our goats and oxen to graze daily. Even during board exams, I carried books with me and studied in the fields,” Krishni told TOI. “I also work on our farm. I study for about three hours every day — one hour in the morning and two hours at night, after my father sleeps.”What sets her apart, teachers say, is her sharp grasping power. She aspires to become an IAS officer.Another student from the same rural school, Meera Kumari, secured second rank in the district with 453 marks, while Anmol Kumar Mahto also featured among the district’s top 20. The school, which has around 800 students from Classes I to XII, recorded a 100% pass result this year.“Krishni showed exceptional dedication despite extreme hardship,” said Bhagat. “Our school ranked second in the district last year, and this year we are proud of our success.”
