All-India IIT toppers aim to be entrepreneurs

Both are Telugus from Narayana group of institutions

Ideas that change the world for the better is the motto of all-India first and second rankers in the JEE Advanced, R K Shishir and Polu Lakshmi Sai Lohit Reddy, and they feel Computer Science is the way to give wings to their dreams.

The toppers, who are from Narayana group of institutions, said they would join IIT Bombay given the entrepreneurial culture on the campus and the networking that makes their learning journey better.

While Shishir’s native town is Madanapalli near Chittoor, Lohit Reddy’s parents hail from Ongole. Shishir’s father is a private employee in Bengaluru where he did his schooling and Intermediate from Narayana institutions. Lohit’s parents are government teachers.

An elated Shishir agreed that the first rank means a lot for anyone and said he would use it to be the stepping stone for keeping his entrepreneurial mindset active. The unassuming toppers say a combination of hard work and smart work is what helps students to crack perhaps toughest exam in the world.

“Without teachers and their guidance it’s near impossible,” say Shishir and Lohit while speaking to The Hindu. “Motivation from teachers is a huge factor in the success apart from their teaching,” says Lohit, whose bother Lokesh bagged the all-India 5th rank last year. “Hard work pays but one has to constantly ensure that we put in our best,” they say acknowledging the role of their teachers at Narayana institutions.

Sindhura Narayana, Director of the Narayana group, said it was a big achievement for both the Telugu States given that it was the first time that the first and second rankers are Telugus. “Going by their attitude you can understand the entrepreneurial culture that we embed in our teaching,” she said adding that students are instilled with the skills to make best use of IIT culture. “We are here not to create just rankers but new generation learners who will change the world.”