New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Shreya Mundhra, who won a gold medal at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, on Sunday was grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for acknowledging her win in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address.
Speaking to IANS, Mundhra said, “PM Modi has explained in detail about the process of the competition. When other students come to know of this, may be, they too will take interest in Mathematics.”
“Neither me nor my family had ever thought that I could win a gold medal in this,” she added.
Mundhra was also thankful for the government-aided training that she had received from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).
Explaining the levels of the competition, she said: “During the computational round, we have to solve 30 questions in three hours, as part of IOQM. For this, around 250 candidates are selected from each state.”
“In the next stage, called the Regional Mathematics Olympiad (RMO), around 35 students are selected from each state. Here there are six questions that need to be completed in three hours,” she added.
Mundhra also said, “In order to appear at the national level, we are given training at the regional level which has been very helpful for me. There are a number of training camps and teachers who support us.”
Regarding the training at HBCSE, she added: “My parents were happy to send me there since it is a national camp.”
However, the gold medallist highlighted that even today the rate of female participation in such Olympiads remains less.
She attributed safety as one of the reasons.
“After the first two rounds, residential camps are conducted. I feel fortunate to have been a part of it but if those camps are made safer, more parents would be willing to send their daughters,” she asserted.
Mundhra stressed that the acknowledgement by PM Modi will encourage many students to take interest in Science and Mathematics who still find the subjects difficult.
Her father, Shantanu Mundhra, also termed the acknowledgement by the Prime Minister as a “proud moment”.
Drawing a difference in preparations for Olympiads and competitive exams, he said, “Preparation for Olympiads focuses on the conceptual understanding of the subject whereas people study for 18 hours for a competitive exam.”
Shreya’s father emphasised on giving his daughter confidence and space to keep pursuing whatever she wants.
He also urged other parents to encourage their children to choose subjects according to their own interests.
Shantanu Mundhra said that PM Modi appreciating the daughters of the country at such a level, would motivate other girl parents to encourage their children.
–IANS
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