Lucknow: Harman Singh, son of a farmer from Bahraich, emerged as the top MBBS graduate, winning the director’s medal for highest aggregate marks, at the third convocation of Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS).Harman’s journey reflects perseverance and rural hardship. A resident of a village near Katarniaghat, he travelled nearly 40 km daily by bus to attend school in Lakhimpur Kheri during classes X and XII.His father, Kulveer Singh, invested his savings in coaching and books despite financial constraints. “We invested our heart and soul in his education,” he said.Recalling his childhood, Harman’s mother said he was not always a studious child. “He used to tease his teachers, and we were called for parent-teacher meetings almost every month,” she said with a smile, adding that his dedication grew with time.Harman cleared NEET in 2020 to secure admission to RMLIMS. “Consistency and hard work have no alternative,” he told TOI. He said the lack of accessible healthcare in villages, where doctors are often 15 to 20 km away, inspired him to pursue medicine. He now aims to become a general physician in a govt hospital to ensure affordable treatment in rural areas. He also served as a class representative during his course.Akansha Jain of the 2020 MBBS batch, who received the prestigious Chancellor’s Medal for overall best performance, credited her family, friends and balanced lifestyle for her achievement.A resident of Faridabad, Akansha said the award was possible because of the support and education provided by her family.Sharing her success mantra, she said students should maintain a balance between studies and extracurricular activities instead of focusing only on academics. She said she actively participated in co-curricular activities during college and received constant support from her friends.Akansha also expressed her desire to work in the govt sector in future, saying her exposure to govt hospitals during training inspired her to serve patients there.
