Riza Hasan, a class 11 student of Vardaan International Academy (VIA) is Lucknow’s only girl student who will be participating in the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme— an interaction between the Prime Minister and school children, to be held at Delhi later today.
Hasan is not just the only girl, but also the only one from a private school to make it through a stringent screening process that saw three lakh students from across the country participate in an essay writing competition. Of this 2000 students were selected. Hasan’s essay was titled ‘Balance is Beneficial’
Hasan who wants to be a doctor wants to ask the PM about how medical education can be made a reality for all those who aspire for it. She told THE WEEK, “I want to go into medicine as a career and I am working very hard for it. But there are very few government medical colleges and the seats for us are limited. Many capable students do not get through and they can’t afford expensive private colleges. I want to ask the PM if we can have some seats with lower fees for these underprivileged but capable students so that they can also fulfil their dreams”.
She says that she admires the PM for his “down to earth attitude”.
“It is such a thoughtful gesture that he is taking time out for us from his busy schedule. I am impressed by his great oratory and motivational skills”, she said.
She thinks that the programme is an initiative that comes at a crucial age and time for students like her. “Just before the exams we are not sure if we are studying in the right way and following the right strategy or not. We have so many questions and confusion. This is a great platform for us to get them answered. We will go back with a lot of confidence and positivity”, she said.
The issue she feels most strongly about is parental awareness about the importance of girls' education. "There are so many programmes and schemes for the girl child, but it is important to find out if they are reaching the needy. Parents sometimes do not understand how important education is for girls", she says.
Richa Khanna, the principal of VIA, described Hasan as a ‘bundle of energy that just needs to be unleashed’.
Khanna told THE WEEK, “She has brought this great honour to the school by being the only girl student in the district to be selected among lakhs of students who participated. A shy but an extremely sharp girl has come out shining bright and has proved that sometimes you just need the key to unlock the doors of imagination”.
VIA, established in 2007, is a CBSE affiliated, co-educational school from Playgroup to class 12 with over 1,000 students. Its students have won laurels in state-level sporting and cultural competitions.
