A consistent class topper, Shreya secured a cumulative grade point average of 10 in CBSE’s class X exams and 94 percent in class XI. Moreover she is a National Talent Search Examination (a national-level scholarship programme run by National Council of Education Research and Training) scholar and was ranked among the top 10 in the International Olympiad of English Language in class X, and fifth in the International Olympiad of Science in class IX. A child rights champion, she has written extensively on autism, child labour and related issues in leading national dailies.
However, despite these impressive scholastic laurels, this bubbly teenager is not at all the stereotypical classroom nerd. Shreya takes keen interest in theatre, and has written and acted in several short plays/skits for the Poona Arts Theatre. Apart from playing tennis and enjoying the occasional swim, she is a teacher volunteer at the Delhi-based NGO Umeed Foundation, a school for autistic and differently abled children. “She is assured of our 100 percent support in all she does,” says Shreya’s father Col.(Dr.) Shakti Vardhan, a senior advisor at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi. Her mother Reena is a teacher and software professional.
“I worked hard consistently to qualify for admission into prestigious international institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University where I want to read physics,” says Shreya, excited that she’s on the threshold of a career in research in her chosen subject.
Wind beneath your wings!
Swati Roy (Delhi)
A.V. Jayaveena
Modest and soft-spoken, she took to swimming like a duck to water four years ago, and has a simple success formula. “I always focus on bettering my previous timing and this formula has worked. My parents, coach and school principal have also been very supportive,” she says.
The younger of two siblings, Jayaveena is the daughter of popular Kerala movie star A.R. (‘Thalaivasal’) Vijay and homemaker Rajeshwari. She drew inspiration from elder brother Jaywant, an international swimmer. At age ten, Jayaveena began formal training with head coach B. Girish of the Turtles Swim Club, Chennai. True to prediction, she burned up pools across the state winning sub-junior medals and championships through 2008-10.
Applying her winning formula, there’s been no looking back for this energetic aquanaut. At the 34th National Games in Ranchi in 2011, she was the youngest swimmer countrywide to win two silver and four bronze medals. Subsequently she broke Tamil Nadu swimmer Saba Sait’s long-standing national record (2004) in the 50 m breaststroke at the 65th Senior National Aquatics Championship, also held in Ranchi in 2011.
Jayaveena’s consistent triumphs are the result of hard work, discipline and die-hard determination. “I train for two hours in the morning and two in the evening everyday, and strictly follow the advice of my physiotherapist and dietician. So far I have been able to strike a balance between academics and swimming and have fared well in my school exams,” says the swimming star.
Currently Jayaveena is training hard for the forthcoming (October) Senior Nationals in Pune. “I want to qualify for the Junior Asian Games and 2016 Rio Olympics. And parallely I wish to pursue a career in sports medicine,” she says.
Way to go, mermaid!
Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai)
Also read: Shivansh Chaturvedi