Driven by mom's death, pharmacy student goes on to become university topper in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: When
Girish BS
lost his mother to an insulin overdose, it wasn't just a personal tragedy — it became the driving force behind his academic journey. Her constant struggle with medication for diabetes and hypertension had already left him questioning frequent changes in prescriptions and dosage. But her sudden passing, just months after he enrolled in a
Doctor of Pharmacy
(Pharm D) course, turned that curiosity into a mission. Today, that mission has led him to the top — Girish has emerged as the university topper.
On Tuesday, he'll be awarded six gold medals — the highest among all toppers — at the convocation ceremony of
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences
(RGUHS). Girish, a student of
PES College of Pharmacy
, consistently topped every year of his course, culminating in this exceptional recognition. He currently works at
Tata Memorial Hospital
in Mumbai.
With a CET rank of around 6,000, Girish had the option of pursuing engineering but chose pharmacy instead. "My mother constantly struggled with her medicines. Each time we visited a doctor, the drugs and dosages would change. I always asked why, but never received a clear explanation. That's when I realised I wanted to understand pharmacy better," said Girish.
He added, "I joined the course in Aug and she passed away the following Jan. That loss pushed me to study harder — I wanted to find out what exactly went wrong with her medication. In PUC, I had scored 97%, and my mother had proudly told everyone about it. I've carried those memories with me, and I've strived to top every exam to make her proud, wherever she is. That's how I won six medals."
Originally from Tumakuru, Girish comes from a modest background — his father runs a small hotel in their hometown. Despite the common perception that pharmacy lacks opportunities or respect, Girish said his work at the hospital has been both impactful and fulfilling. "Doctors consult with us extensively before prescribing medicines. When patients return to thank us for our inputs, it's incredibly rewarding," he said.
Taking a chance
Gannyashree, a student of Sri DM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, found herself in the BNYS course by chance. "I wasn't interested in MBBS because I didn't want to perform surgeries or practise allopathy. Ayurveda didn't appeal to me either. Then a friend introduced me to this course. I did my research, spoke to seniors and faculty, and decided to give it a try. I ended up loving the subjects," she shared. Gannyashree is now pursuing her MD in clinical yoga at the same college.
Best pass percentage in 5 years
This year, RGUHS is set to graduate nearly 64,000 students, with an impressive overall pass percentage of 87.4% — the highest in five years. The convocation's chief guest will be Wipro founder Azim Premji.
The pass percentage is up by 5% from last year. The best in the past decade was 88.1% in 2019. In 2025, the pass rates were 84% for MBBS, 85.4% for BDS, and 88% for nursing. Among undergraduate courses, BNYS (bachelor of naturopathy and yogic sciences) achieved the highest pass rate at 97%, followed by the bachelor of physiotherapy at 94%.
Girls outperformed boys with a pass percentage of 91% compared to 82%.
Dr BC Bhagavan, vice-chancellor of RGUHS, attributed the improvement to a range of initiatives: "Our curriculum is now aligned with national standards. We've enhanced teaching methods, offered continuous teacher training, and implemented robust mentor-mentee programmes."
Looking ahead, RGUHS is set to move to its new Ramanagara campus by March 2026. The administrative block is expected to be ready by then, with Rs 600 crore allocated for the project, half of which has already been released.
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