Дочь индийских врачей из Тринидада с отличием сдала экзамены CAPE и выбрала медицину

Senior Multimedia Reporter [email protected] Thirteen years after migrating from India to Trinidad and Tobago to work as doctors, Dr Milind Kumar and his wife, Dr Roshan Joseph, are celebrating their youngest daughter’s academic success. Ishita Verma is among the top-performing students at Parvati Girls’ Hindu College, earning eight Grade Ones, all with As, in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Now, with her CAPE success behind her, 18-year-old Verma is looking ahead to medicine and to a future where she hopes to give others the same care and compassion she has witnessed from her parents. Speaking with Guardian Media, Verma said the achievement is the culmination of a journey that began when she arrived in Trinidad at just five years old, leaving behind the familiarity of her birthplace and extended family in India. Verma said she met the challenges head-on. “I learned how to adapt and built a community of friends who really helped me,” she added. Verma said her parents had come to the country to work as doctors—her father, an oncologist, and her mother, an accident and emergency doctor. Their dedication to medicine, she said, became one of the strongest influences in her life. “They’re my greatest examples,” she said, adding that her success at CAPE was not handed to her but came because of hard work and community support. She said at Parvati Girls’ Hindu College, she found a community of teachers and friends who helped her navigate the pressures of secondary school and the demanding CAPE workload. “My experience at Parvati was amazing,” she said, expressing gratitude to her teachers for their patience, dedication and constant encouragement. Verma said she served as deputy head girl and president of the student council in Lower Six. She also participated in school clubs, developing skills in teamwork, organisation and leadership. However, she said her biggest academic challenge was managing the workload and ensuring that every subject received enough attention. “There were definitely times when I felt overwhelmed, but with my parents’ guidance I learnt to manage my time, prioritise my work and remain consistent,” she added. Verma said she remained deeply connected to her Indian heritage, speaking fluent Hindi and practising Indian classical dance from a young age. She choreographed performances for school activities, Divali celebrations and competitions at her school. Her cultural background, she said, became another way of building friendships and sharing a part of herself with the people around her. While academics occupied much of her time, Verma said she also understood the importance of stepping away from her books. “I made sure to spend time with my friends and family. I played with our dog, watched shows and listened to music. Taking a break doesn’t mean that you’re falling behind,” she said, stressing that students must make time for their mental health and relationships. She said the people around her have been as important as her studies. She said her older sister, Ayushi, is pursuing medicine at The University of the West Indies Mona campus in Jamaica and has been a source of guidance and support. Verma said she hopes to follow her family into medicine. “I just really want to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” she said. Meanwhile, her father, Dr Milind Kumar, said the family was immensely proud of her achievement as he thanked Parvati Girls’ Hindu College and principal Sharda Maharaj Ramjathan for their support. Kumar said Verma had remained “focused in academics” while successfully balancing leadership responsibilities. Her mother, Dr Roshan Joseph, was equally proud. “I cannot be more proud of her achievement,” she said, describing her daughter as disciplined and focused throughout her academic journey. Principal Sharda Maharaj-Ramjattan said Verma embraced responsibilities at the school and was able to maintain a healthy balance between their studies and co-curricular activities. She said the school was extremely proud of her success.