JEE Mains results: ISRO scientist's son Rishi shares how strong Math skills helped him bag AIR 19

A native of Bihar but settled in Hyderabad for over 25 years now, you might as well call Manish Shekar a Hyderabadi. And today, technically since the last night of April 24, this Hyderabadi is elated and ecstatic as his son, Rishi Shekar Shukla, has achieved a milestone which many just dream of.

Rishi Shekar Shukla has bagged All India Rank (AIR) 19 in Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Mains 2024. Rishi stands as a topper of the Telangana State as well, a state that he whole-heartedly calls home.

The proud father, Rishi Shukla, who is working as a scientist with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told EdexLive, “I was expecting Rishi would get an even better rank, however, he worked hard and scored 300/300. He is extremely happy and I am too.” Rishi scored a 100 percentile in Physics, Chemistry and Math.

Rishi, talking about how he prepared for one of the toughest exams, told EdexLive, “I started the preparation from my Class X and when I was in Class XI, I joined Aakash coaching classes. I dedicatedly started the preparation two years prior and studied for nine hours a day.”

Rishi Sekhar AIR 19

Rishi’s father disclosed that he also gave the JEE exam back in his day, but alas, couldn’t clear it. Therefore, he put in all his might to provide the right foundation for Rishi to clear JEE, especially when he noticed that Math was Rishi’s strength. “I gave him an effective introduction of the exam along with a solid background and set the foundation right from his higher secondary days,” he said.

Rishi articulated that he felt the pull for JEE Main back in Class V itself. “I used to give Olympiad tests and observed I was good at Math. I understood that if I work hard, I could strengthen my Math skills even more.”

As per Rishi, “Quality is greater than quantity while preparing for JEE and it is important to be consistent and persevere.” A few tips he shared include:

Be confident

Never be upset or fall into a dull mood during preparation

Work on improving always and maintain the mindset, “I can do better”

Be patient

Do not sacrifice sleep because it is very important to reset for the next day

When asked about the pastimes he indulged in during preparation, Rishi said, “I cycled and played badminton for an hour on weekends to get a breather from my study hours.” Additionally, “Pranayama and several other breathing exercises helped me combat stress,” he stressed.

Rishi, who is now gearing up for JEE Advanced 2024 on May 26, 2024, says he aims to join Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay and pursue research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).