A Dubai-based Indian student, who died shortly after attempting his Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Grade 12 papers in March, has scored an impressive 91.4 per cent on his board examinations, including 100 in his media studies paper, his family and teachers told Khaleej Times.
Ahmed Ziyad, a student of GEMS Our Own Indian School in Al Qouz, Dubai, died on March 19, suffered a heart condition called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) that stopped him from being active in sporting activities.
Ziyad’s parents, teachers, and classmates remember him as a very ambitious pupil, who wanted to launch his own business and achieve great things in his life. His board results are – mass media studies 100, Marketing 97, English 84, Entrepreneurship 82, and Home Science 94.
Ziyad’s father, Shanavaz Manangath, a real estate professional who has been a resident of Dubai for over two decades said, “Six months ago, he had collapsed while playing with his friends. Since there was an irregularity in his heartbeat, he could not take part in any strenuous activities.” He added, “Ziyad had just started playing with his friends on March 19 when he suddenly collapsed and died shortly after. My family has not been able to overcome his loss.”
Unable to hold back his tears, an emotional Manangath said Ziyad wanted to do his BBA and launch his own business, “He was very ambitious. Honestly, I haven’t looked into his board exam results, but, I know he had studied very hard for the exams.”
Ziyad’s mass media teacher Annette Londhe said, “Ahmed Ziyad was a very bright child. Though he did not do very well for his internal exams, he had promised me that he would do his best for the boards and he got excellent marks.”
She added, “Since he could not play sporting activities, he would sometimes sit with me while I was correcting papers. He loved playing PUBG on his mobile. When he came out of his examinations, he was confident he would get 100 marks, and he did.” Due to the ongoing pandemic, Ziyad could not write his Home Science examinations, which were cancelled, however, he still managed to score 94 in the paper.
The principal of Our Own Indian School, Lalitha Suresh, fondly remembered Ahmed Ziyad, who was passionate about the subject. “He has left his indelible mark on the world by creating a fascinating video on Dubai’s old souk, which is his tribute to the city. He promised to score a centum and he fulfilled his promise before he left us,” said Lalitha.
