Double achievement

Huma Bhola, a student of Std VI at Poona’s Sardar Dastur Hormazdiar High School won in the junior category at the state level and was awarded a trophy, a certificate and a Sony camcorder in an inter-school essay competition in 2007-2008. The theme of the essay, organized by Tata Building India, was "Changes nee­ded in the education system,” Jehan­gir Bisney informed Parsiana via e-mail.

Clockwise from top: essay contest prize winners with President Pratibha Patil; Huma with her prizes; presenting a memento to the President

The daughter of Dilmeher and Hoshedar, Bhola, now 12 years old, was in for a surprise when she received a telephone call from the organizers on March 6, 2009 informing her that she had been nominated in the junior category at the national level as well, for the same essay. The house of Tatas invited the schoolgirl, along with her mother, to attend the awards function in Delhi, providing them with tickets, arranging for airport pickup and stay at the Taj Palace Hotel in the Capital.

Emerging a runner-up this time, Bhola received a bigger trophy, a certificate and a Lenovo computer. The winners were taken on a conducted tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan and its famed Moghul Gardens after which they were felicitated by President Pratibha Patil. As the youngest winner, Bhola was chosen to present a memento to the President, the e-mail states.