A Muslim girl who topped her 10 class in a Gujarat school, KT Patel Smriti Vidyalaya, was not acknowledged at the prize distribution event on Independence Day, where only the second-place winner was named, author and editor Salil Tripati posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The incident took place at a school in Lunva village, Kheralu taluk, Mehsana district.
The school was honoring its class-10 toppers of 2022. In an unusual turn of events, the name of the second-ranked student was announced, overshadowing the Muslim girl’s accomplishment.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many expressing their anger at the perceived humiliation of the Muslim student.
The girl, identified as Arnazbanu, was present at the event but was not called to the stage or acknowledged. This left her in tears, feeling disrespected in front of students, their parents and village residents.
Arzna’s father, Sarvar Khan, voiced his concerns to the school principal, Bipin Patel, and teacher Anil Patel, questioning why his daughter’s achievement had been overlooked. The school principal did not provide a reason for not awarding her the prize. But, she responded by promising to present Arnazbanu with ten prizes on January 26, 2024, as a form of compensation.
Sarvar Khan said that his daughter didn’t desire the prizes but rather sought the recognition that the school had denied her. He stated, “We don’t want a reward, but even if my daughter’s name was announced at the ceremony, she would have been proud!”
Salil Tripati shared the incident on social media, adding the comment, “The state of Modified India.”
“This is a historical practice…being a dalit, I have experienced it at least 3-4 times in life during school days,” an X user “@ravaniraivian” posted.
