Monisha is from Bannur, near T. Narasipura and Mysuru, and she is planning to become a doctor. Her father is a farmer who works on their own 1.5-acre paddy field, which is irrigated by water supplied from a nearby canal. Her mother is a homemaker. She has two siblings: a younger sister who is in her first year of PUC and a younger brother who is studying in the 7th standard. Monisha attended high school at Adarsha Vidyalaya, Sosale, near T. Narasipura, where she studied in the English medium. She has secured admission to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences. Monisha’s hobbies include watching motivational movies and playing badminton.

​Kusuma is from a small town called Jalahalli near Talakadu. With a stellar academic record, she plans to pursue Engineering at PES College of Engineering. Her father is a farmer who owns 2.5 acres of land, and her mother is a housewife. She has one elder sister who is studying in the fourth year of Engineering. They obtained a Krishi Bank loan of 2.5 lakhs to support her elder sister’s education. Kusuma’s hobbies include running, riding a motorbike, and reading literature. She will be pursuing a degree in Computer Science at PES University. She is interested in working in cybersecurity and wants to contribute to Indian defense in this area

​Varun comes from a family residing in Mekeri village near Madikeri. With his excellent performance, he has secured admission to Computer Science & Engineering at the prestigious RVCE in Bengaluru. They live in a small house of their own, where his parents and elder sister currently reside. His elder sister is in the final year of BCA in Madikeri. His father works as a mason, and his mother is a coolie. Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, his father had an accident while working and is now severely injured, which restricts him from working and earning as he used to.

​Nishanth is from Bangalore and will be pursuing Chemical Engineering at IIT Roorkee. His younger brother is studying in the 9th grade at a nearby school. His father works as a technician in a small industry in Bengaluru and is supporting his family, which comprises his aged parents, wife, and another son.

Yashaswini is from Horalawadi near Hosuru. She is planning to pursue Electronics and Communication Engineering at RVCE. She completed her primary school education at a government school and her PUC at Viveka Pre-University College, Sargur. She is highly influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and her Physics lecturer, who has been her role model. Mathematics is her favorite subject. Her father is a farmer who has two brothers. Together, they cultivate rice, sugarcane, and banana on their total 4 acres of land inherited from their father. Yashaswini’s younger brother is studying in 9th grade at the government school.

Pradyumna will be studying Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur. His father is a supervisor in a cinema tent in Bengaluru, and Pradyumna’s mother works as a beautician’s assistant at functions whenever an opportunity is available. She often must travel to different towns for work. He has an older brother who is studying Engineering. Pradyumna attends a free residential school that offers coaching for IIT entrance exams.

​Akhilesh hails from Kampli, Bellary, and is planning to pursue engineering. He was raised by his single mother after his father, a factory worker, passed away in an accident when Akhilesh was around eight years old. Akhilesh has an older brother who is currently a Pragathi scholar studying at SJCE. They live in their ancestral home along with their grandmother. Akhilesh’s mother works at a private school and moonlights as a tailor to earn extra money to make a living.

​Lavanya is from Chikkaputtenapalya in Nelamangala Taluk and is planning to pursue medicine at Mysore Medical College. Her father is a tractor driver, and her mother is a homemaker. She has an elder sister who is married and a younger brother who is studying in the 8th grade. They have half an acre of farmland where they grow ragi during the rainy season. They own four cows, and the milk is supplied to the local dairy. Lavanya’s hobbies include yoga and reading books.

Bhoomika, who hails from Madapura in Hassan, will be pursuing Computer Science and AIML at MSRIT, Bangalore. She received free education from the 6th grade onward. After completing 6th to 10th standard at Morarji Desai Residential School, she attended Vivekananda Pre-University College in Mysore, where she scored 98% in her 2nd PUC. Her father is a farmer who owns less than one acre of land, where he cultivates ragi, jowar, or rice. He also works as an agricultural laborer in his free time. Bhoomika wants to support her family and ensure a better standard of living.

Srushti grew up in Mullur, located in the Raichur district, and is planning to pursue a Computer Science degree at BMS College of Engineering in Bangalore. She completed her primary education through 10th grade at Navodaya School, a free residential school for gifted rural children. Her father is a farmer who owns one acre of land, where he grows rice and jowar in fields irrigated by water from the Tungabhadra reservoir. The crops are seasonal and highly dependent on monsoon. Srushti is determined to study engineering and is fascinated by AI and ML. As an only child, she wants to secure a decent job and support her family after her studies.

Prajwal is from Kontekal in Koppala district and is pursuing Manufacturing Science and Engineering in the Mechanical Engineering department at IIT Kharagpur. His father is a farmer who owns 1.5 acres of wetland, grows paddy, and has studied up to the 7th standard. His mother is a housewife who runs a small kirana grocery shop with very limited income. He has a younger sister who is studying in 11th grade at Navodaya School. Prajwal studied from 5th to 10th grade at Sandur School on a free scholarship. After that, he attended Rastrothana Tapas for 11th and 12th grades, where he received free education and boarding, along with free BASE tuition for JEE/KCET preparation.

Kshitije belongs to Holebenavalli village, which is about 7 km from Shivamogga, and she will be pursuing a degree in Electronics and Communication at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering. Her father is a DTP operator at a printing press, and her mother is a homemaker. Her elder sister is a Pragathi Scholar and is pursuing her third year in Computer Science at RV University, Bengaluru. Her father ran a small arts business (banners, models, etc.), which was closed during COVID. Kshitije’s hobbies include drawing and reading books and novels.

Shreya is from Mahalakshmipuram, Bengaluru, and will be pursuing Medicine at Hasana Institute of Medical Sciences. She completed her primary schooling at Srivani Education Center, Rajajinagar, and her PUC at Arabindo PU College. Her father currently runs an Ayurveda clinic in Bangalore. According to him, his profession is highly competitive, and his earnings have been very meager.

Kumar Basavaraj is from Koppal Taluk and will be pursuing a degree at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bangalore. His father passed away when Basavaraj was five years old. He and his younger sister were raised by their mother, who has completed D.Ed. and has been teaching Mathematics and Kannada at a private primary school in Koppal for the past five years. She earns around 8,000 rupees per month, which is the lifeline for the entire family. His sister is studying in 2nd PUC in Koppal. Kumar studied at free residential schools for gifted students until the 12th grade. His hobbies include pencil sketching, especially 3D sketches—and sports.

Manoj Prashant Aiholi hails from Savadatti town in the Belagavi district and is pursuing medicine at the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences. His father is a car driver, his mother is a housewife, and his sister is studying in 2nd PUC. He says, “My desire to become a doctor is deeply rooted in my personal experiences. Growing up in the small town of Savadatti, I have witnessed the difficulties people face due to the lack of affordable and quality healthcare. I have seen my own family members and neighbors struggle due to high medical costs and the long travel required to reach government hospitals.”

Lakshmi Reddy is pursuing a degree in Medicine at Mandya Medical College. She grew up in Andhra Pradesh and lost her father when she was just four years old. Her mother, originally from Kolar, moved back there with her older brother. Lakshmi and her two older brothers were raised by their single mother and their uncle, who is a farmer. Lakshmi’s brothers completed Engineering by securing government seats and relied on loans for their education. Lakshmi also used loans for her first two years of education and is hoping to secure a scholarship to finish her studies without placing further burden on her mother and uncle. She used to play chess and competed at the district level.

Kirankumar Patil hails from Mailapur village in Koppal district. He performed exceedingly well without relying on coaching centers to secure a seat at the prestigious Bangalore Medical College to pursue medicine. He is the son of a tailor who owned two acres of land but ended up selling 1.5 acres to raise funds for his older son’s marriage and to build a house. Kirankumar is interested in yoga and has participated in state-level competitions for yoga and quizzes.

Nikhil grew up in Kaarla Thota in the Bellary district and is pursuing medicine at Mysore Medical College. Nikhil is multi-faceted and excels on many fronts in addition to academics. His father is a daily wage worker, and his mother is a homemaker. He has two sisters—his elder sister was recently married, which has put the family in debt, and his younger sister is studying in 9th grade. Nikhil has won prizes in state-level competitions for quiz and debate. He also writes poetry and hopes to continue while working hard to become a doctor.

Nandini Hejjegar is from Gokak in the Belagavi district. She is pursuing medicine at the Karnataka Medical Institute in Hubli. Her father is a farmer with a one-acre plot, which he shares with his brother. He also works as a realtor, earning some money on the side. They have taken a loan of 2 lakh rupees at an interest rate of 2% per month to enroll Nandini in college. Nandini is the oldest of four children—three girls and one boy.

Disha Gowda is the eldest of two siblings and comes from Mandya. She is pursuing medicine at Mysore Medical College. Her father is a driver who rents a car whenever he has customers, and works as a laborer when he doesn’t have a driving job. Disha studied 11th and 12th grades at a free residential college for gifted children from lower economic backgrounds after passing a very competitive statewide exam. Her brother is studying in 10th grade at another residential school and hopes to join an IIT.

Parvathi Sharangoud Goudar grew up in the town of Ilkal in the Bagalkote district and is pursuing medicine at Ballary Medical College. Her father drives a lorry to make a living. Her brother is studying to become a nurse, and she also has a younger sister who is a student. Parvathi attended free residential schools for meritorious students from middle school onward.