"We will waive the BCom tuition fee for three years and financially assist his CA preparation if Rishav agrees to study at Gujarati Society. In all, the financial commitment will be for Rs 2.5 lakh," the institute's chairman Miraj D Shah said on Tuesday.
The story of Rishav's Herculean feat published in Tuesday's edition of TOI led to the Gujarati Education Society convening a board meeting and in the offer being made to the student. From this year, the institute has decided to financially support meritorious students hailing from economically weak families.
The Birla High School student was diagnosed with leukemia when he was barely 10. Struggling with the painful treatments and spending most of the time in hospital for blood transfusions, he had to muster up all the courage and grit to study for the examination.
Rishav was all smiles after receiving Shah's call in the afternoon. In the evening, Rishav and his parents Rajiv and Madhumita went to the college to meet Shah and other trustee members. "The Gujarati Education Society official offered me a stipend of Rs 5,000 a month during the BCom tenure," a beaming Rishav said after the meeting. His parents were equally delighted at the development.
An admirer of Lionel Messi and fond of detective books like Sherlock Holmes and Da Vinci Code, Rishav wanted to pursue CA along with BCom honours. "I am happy that I have been offered the opportunity. I will give it my best shot and use the scholarship to the fullest," he said.
"My father was also a cancer patient because of which I know how expensive the treatment is. Since Rishav is meritorious but is in financial difficulty owing to the medical expenses, trustee members and other philanthropic individuals are planning to support his medical requirements as well," Shah added.
After the results were declared on Monday, Madhumita, a senior accountant with a private firm, had narrated how the disease had made it increasingly tough for her son to cope with his studies. She had also said that Birla High School and teachers had been extremely helpful. "The school had waived off his fees for more than two years," she said.
Rishav had no tutors. He banked entirely on his schoolteachers and parents, both of whom have a background in commerce. Father Rajiv is a share member of the Kolkata Stock Exchange.