Ishika Bala, a 17-year-old from Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, has scripted a story of extraordinary courage. Diagnosed with blood cancer in November 2023, she battled grueling treatments to emerge as the state’s Class 10 board exam topper, scoring 99.17% in the 2025 Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) exams. Sharing the top spot with Naman Kumar Khuntia, Ishika’s triumph over adversity in a Naxal-affected region with a 59.6% female literacy rate is a beacon of hope. Her dream? To become an IAS officer, uplifting her tribal community.
Ishika’s journey was anything but easy. Hailing from Gundahur village, a Maoist-hit area, she grew up in a modest farmer’s family. Her father, Shankar Bala, earns a meager income from agriculture, supporting five children. When cancer struck, Ishika’s world turned upside down. Chemotherapy at Balco Medical Centre in Nava Raipur drained her physically; she missed the 2024 board exams due to hospitalization. “There were moments I thought I’d never study again,” she told reporters, her voice steady with resolve. Yet, her family’s encouragement and teachers’ support at Government Higher Secondary School kept her going. Studying via mobile phone during recovery, Ishika leaned on her willpower, often reading through pain to prepare for the March 2025 exams.
The Ishika Bala story captivated Chhattisgarh when results were announced on May 7, 2025, by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Scoring 545/550, she outperformed 3.3 lakh peers, with only 76.53% passing, per CGBSE data. Her father beamed with pride: “She defeated cancer with courage.” Regular check-ups loom for the next two-three years, but Ishika’s focus is unwavering. She plans to study mathematics, pursue engineering, and crack the UPSC exam, inspired by IAS officers driving rural change. Her school principal, Arun Kumar Kirtanya, called her “a fighter who never gave up,” a sentiment echoed on X, where posts like @GoodNewsToday’s garnered thousands of likes.
Kanker’s challenges—Naxal violence, poor infrastructure, and limited healthcare—make Ishika’s feat monumental. The district’s female literacy lags at 59.6%, per a 2024 NITI Aayog report, yet eight Bastar division students, including Ishika, made the top 10. Her success mirrors that of Class 12 topper Akhil Sen, also from Kanker, who scored 98.2%. Chief Minister Sai praised her, noting, “Students like Ishika rewrite history in adversity.” Her story aligns with India’s push for education in marginalized areas, supported by schemes like Samagra Shiksha, which fund schools in Naxal zones.
Ishika’s resilience reflects a broader narrative of hope. Cancer, claiming 8.2 lakh lives annually in India per WHO 2024 data, often breaks spirits, but Ishika’s fight—bolstered by family and community—defied the odds. She studied without tuitions, relying on school resources and grit. Her mother, Iti Bala, cooked meals to keep her strong, while siblings shared the family’s single phone for her online classes. “My teachers believed in me,” Ishika said, crediting their late-night guidance.The Ishika Bala phenomenon has sparked inspiration nationwide. X posts, like @ArunSao3’s, hailed her as a “daughter who lit up Chhattisgarh.” Her story, covered by The Economic Times and Hindustan Times, underscores the power of determination. As she prepares for her IAS journey, Ishika remains a symbol of what’s possible when courage meets opportunity, proving that even in the face of life’s toughest battles, dreams can soar