Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Dec 15: Class IX student of Ghatshila�s Sant Nandlal Smriti Vidya Mandir Ankita Mahto will be the second student after Mantu Pani of Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls� School in Dhalbhumgarh to be invited by ISRO to watch the launch of rockets carrying satellites. Mantu has already returned from ISRO launch site.
Ankita Mahto sat for an online test conducted by ISRO. The people in the locality and the entire Ghatshila Sub Division (Mantu resides in Chakulia which is also under this sub division) were elated when Ankita Mahto�s result appeared in her e-mail. Ankita�s father Deep Narayan Mahto who is a teacher said, �ISRO had conducted a space quiz online in August. Ankita participated in that quiz. She was sure that she would get good marks but she did not expect that she would get a call from ISRO. The moment the news appeared on her e-mail on Wednesday, the whole family was overjoyed. The message mentioned that ISRO will be launching rockets in January and February 2020 and the selected students to watch the launches were to go with their parents.�
The entire family of Ankita is highly educated. Her grandfather late Kali Charan Mahto retired as the principal of Mahulia Bengali School while her grandmother Bina Pani Mahto retired after serving as principal of Pavra Middle School. Ankita�s parents too served as Para-teachers for quite some time in Dumaria Block before being selected as full fledged teachers. Her mother Babita Mahto is now a teacher in the Upgraded School in Harda and her father Deep Narayan Mahto is now an assistant teacher in Upgraded Middle School in Morda.
When asked about her success the Class IX student of Sant Nandlal Smriti Vidya Mandir said, �My grandma, father and mother play an important role in my education. I participate in such types of competition whenever I get the time. Since childhood I have been nurturing the desire to be a scientist. That is the reason why my concentration is centered on science subjects.�
Ankita�s grandmother Bina Pani Mahto was very happy with the opportunity offered to her granddaughter. In her twilight years, the twinkle of joy in her eyes could not be missed when she stated, �The gift of joy that Ankita has given me surpasses all other gifts. She has proved the point that a girl child is in no way inferior to a male child in any sphere of activity but I have to admit that my grandson too is very good in studies.�
