Indian student bags 5 A*s in A-Level exams in Dubai

Dubai - She will be heading to Canada, where she will be going on to study mathematics at Waterloo University.

Thursday August 17, 2017 was a day to remember for Cambridge School Abu Dhabi student, Nidhi Kumar. After securing an impressive five A*s in her A Level examinations, she also managed to bag the title of Gems UAE topper.

"I honestly didn't know the topper title was a thing in A-Levels. I was just hoping to get those A*s, so when I did it was such a relief," she told Khaleej Times,

After recently relocating to Dubai from Abu Dhabi, Kumar said her summer break has been "quite tense", what with the big move and the anticipation of waiting for her results.

But that anxiety soon turned to elation on Thursday morning, when she got the news she was waiting for. 

"That first feeling was definitely one of total release and relief because these marks have been hanging over my head since June. Finally, the work has paid off," she said.

Achieving five A*s in maths, physics, chemistry, biology and English literature, Kumar said it was the celebratory screams from her mother which first made her realise she'd secured top scores. 

"It was actually my mum who came to know that I was the Gems UAE topper. We were in the car, driving down to the school from Dubai, when a teacher called and broke the news to her. I heard her screaming and I had no idea why."

And when she finally calmed her mother down and heard that she had bagged the topper title, she said she was chuffed.

"Obviously, for me, my results were the main thing, and this is just an added bonus."

On Thursday, Kumar, along with her mother, father and younger sister, will be heading to Canada, where she will be going on to study mathematics at Waterloo University.

"My parents are coming to help me move into my dorm and then they will be heading back to Dubai. For me it will be a bitter sweet moment as I will be starting a brand new chapter, but I'll also be leaving my family home."

Though Kumar is going off to study mathematics at university, she said in terms of a set career choice for the future, she's still battling with a decision.

"The versatility of maths is what appeals to me. I've always had a natural ability for the subject, but I've gone through so many phases of thinking about what to do. I've thought about engineering, medicine, law, even journalism; that's why I took English literature."

But the coin has rested on maths for now, because "there's a little bit of maths in everything".
 
"Physics is predominantly written through mathematical equations; in biology, genetics largely relies on mathematics because you're matching things up. And even when you're analysing Shakespeare, you have to count how many verbs are in a verse etc, so again, you're utisliing mathematics. That's why I feel like it is calling to me."

As far as the immediate future goes, Kumar said she  is curious to explore how maths can be applied to computer applications, but long term, she said she will be keeping her options open. 
- Kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai