Chemotherapy and radiotherapy ward was the classroom of Aakash Ashraf for the past one and a half years. The teenager battling cancer was armed with nothing but self-study and today he sailed through his 10th exams with a splendid 97 percent marks.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), like other days Aakash was rushing to his school located in his native village Dadsara area of Tral. Hardly he knew that it would be his last regular day at his school.
It was June-2024, when he went to school just to attend his last regular class.
The 16-year-old Aakash was in his mid-session of 9th standard when he was diagnosed with cancer.
“For past one and half years, I have been almost bedridden because I was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2024. These months, I never saw or attended my classroom but always found myself wandering from Chemotherapy to radiotherapy wards,” he said.
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Aakash however didn’t budge to the deadly disease but rather made his dream come true. He has just aced his 10th exams with a stunning 485 out of 500 marks.
“I always wanted to top in my first board exams but Almighty has kept something else in my fate. Despite all odds, I majority of the times was not having enough energy to stand but whenever I got a bit of time, I used to study and compete even without attending a single regular class or any private tuition,” Aakash narrated.
However, Aakash has been weakened by the monthly dose of Chemotherapy and the radiotherapies that he was receiving till April-2025.
“Today, I am not strong enough to attend any regular class but I will not budge. I will continue my studies with medical subjects via offline or distance mode,” he said.
Aakash said that doctors have told him that he has to undergo Stem cell bone marrow transplants in the coming 2-3 months.
Before that, Aakash want to get enrolled for 11th standard to study Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English and Physical Education subjects. (KNO)
