You Think Your Life Is Hard? 82 Chemo Sessions Later, Adrija Ghosh Joins WB Class 12 Toppers List

In a story of extraordinary resilience and quiet determination, Adrija Ghosh , a teenager from Nimta, Kolkata , has emerged among the top performers in the West Bengal Class 12 board examinations , achieving success despite serious financial hardship and limited access to private coaching after her father lost his job during the pandemic recovery period , showing resilience .

A student of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls’ School, Bagbazar , Adrija secured 487/500 marks and ranked joint 10th in the merit list announced by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education . For many, it is a result to celebrate. For her, it is also the culmination of years spent fighting for life itself.

Her battle began in 2018, when she was diagnosed with T cell lymphoma , a rare form of cancer, while she was in Class 6. What followed were years of treatment, uncertainty, and long hospital stays that stretched between Mumbai and Kolkata. She underwent 82 chemotherapy sessions , eventually going off treatment in June 2021, though she continues to attend regular medical check ups.

Her father, Joymangal Ghosh , a teacher by profession, recalled how her discipline never wavered even during the toughest phases. “She never needed to be told to study. We often had to ask her to rest,” he said, describing a journey marked by both emotional strain and unwavering hope.

Her mother, Jyoti Ghosh , also a teacher, stayed with her through critical treatment phases in Mumbai, while the family navigated medical and financial challenges together.

Teachers describe Adrija as calm, sincere, and deeply focused from an early age. Despite her health struggles, she pursued her studies in the arts stream, taking Geography, Economics, Psychology, and Computer Applications .

Now, she hopes to study Psychology at Bethune College , with a long term dream of working in mental health and helping people understand depression and human behaviour.

Beyond academics, she finds comfort in singing and reading Bengali literature, especially the works of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Asked what kept her going, Adrija’s answer remains simple yet powerful. “I want to keep trying. The effort itself matters the most.”

A sentence that now defines not just her result, but her entire journey.