Meet Ishika Bala: Chhattisgarh Girl Who Defeated Cancer and Topped Board Exams
8 May, 2025 16:32 IST|Sakshi Post
CGBSE 10th Result 2025: Cancer Survivor Ishika Bala Scores 99%, Becomes State Topper!
Chhattisgarh: In a tale of tenacity and willpower, 17-year-old Ishika Bala of Gundahur village in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh accomplished the unfathomable by receiving a 99.17% on the Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) Class 10 board exams.
However, the remarkable struggle she underwent to get there is what really distinguishes her accomplishment, not simply the grades.
Cancer Takes A Year Away, But Not Her Dreams
Ishika was given a blood cancer diagnosis in November 2023, which forced her to miss her board exams only last year. Her family was shocked by the prognosis, and she spent the next year receiving treatment at a private hospital in Raipur and then at the Balco Medical Centre in Nava Raipur. Ishika persisted, though. "I didn't give up, even though I believed I might not be able to study again. I believed in myself," she remarked.
Ishika maintained her connection to her books despite painful operations and cycles of chemotherapy. She never let her concentration falter with the help of her family, particularly her father Shankar Bala, a farmer in the Naxal-affected Pakhanjore district.
We always urged her to continue her studies. Her father proudly told that she bravely overcame cancer.
2025 State Topper: A Joint Triumph
Ishika shared the top spot with Naman Kumar Khuntia from Jashpur district, both of whom scored an incredible 99.17%, when the CGBSE Class 10 results for 2025 were announced. For thousands of kids nationwide, Ishika is now more than simply a topper—she is a representation of courage, optimism, and quiet resolve.
IAS Is the Goal After Engineering
Even though she no longer has cancer, Ishika is already making plans for her future. She intends to study mathematics in class eleven, then engineering, and finally, by passing the UPSC examinations, pursuing her goal of becoming an IAS official.
Her incredible journey from a hospital bed to the top of the state board serves as a reminder that even the most difficult obstacles can be overcome with perseverance.
