Every family has a story they hope will unfold differently for the next generation. For the Kushtagi family, that story has always centred on education.
In Harugeri, Karnataka, where Prajwal Kushtagi grew up, his father earns a modest livelihood repairing agricultural equipment in a small garage. The work depends largely on the farming season, making the family’s income uncertain throughout the year. Yet, despite these realities, his parents never allowed financial limitations to become the measure of their son’s ambitions. Their greatest aspiration was simple but profound – to see Prajwal become the first doctor in the family.
Prajwal embraced that responsibility from an early age. Having completed most of his schooling in the Kannada medium, he consistently excelled in academics and developed a particular interest in biology and the sciences. His outstanding performance earned him the distinction of being the district topper in Class 10, an achievement that opened the door to free education for Classes 11 and 12. He made the most of that opportunity, graduating with an impressive 96.5% in Class 12.
The road to medical college, however, demanded more than academic excellence. Prajwal appeared for NEET in 2024, but the examination was marred by the widely reported paper leak controversy. Despite years of preparation, the circumstances left him with a result that did not reflect his true potential. Rather than settling for disappointment, he made the difficult decision to prepare once again, investing another year in pursuit of the goal he had worked towards for so long.
His perseverance was rewarded. In NEET 2025, Prajwal secured a remarkable 99.35 percentile and an All India Rank of 9,837, earning admission to Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute to pursue his MBBS.
Behind this achievement lies the quiet strength of a family that has continually made sacrifices for education. His mother manages the household, while his elder sister is pursuing Computer Science Engineering at a government college with the support of a scholarship. Even with careful financial planning, meeting the expenses of his medical education and his sister’s engineering education was beyond the family’s means. To ensure Prajwal could begin his MBBS, his parents borrowed money from relatives, determined that financial constraints would not stand in the way of an opportunity he had earned through hard work.
Beyond academics, Prajwal has actively participated in sports, cultural programmes, seminars, and awareness initiatives. These experiences helped him become more confident, develop stronger English communication skills, and work effectively with others, essential qualities for a future medical professional.
He now hopes to specialise in surgery, combining technical excellence with compassionate patient care. In the long term, he wants to contribute to improving healthcare in underserved rural communities, where access to quality medical treatment remains limited.
For Prajwal, studying medicine has never simply been about securing admission to a prestigious institution. Every year of his education carries a cost that his family has had to think carefully about. With a father whose earnings depend on seasonal agricultural work and an elder sister also pursuing higher education, every financial decision affects the entire household. The Lakshya Scholarship eases that balancing act. It allows the family to plan ahead with greater confidence, knowing that one significant part of the burden has been shared by people who believe in Prajwal’s potential.
What makes Prajwal’s story memorable is not that he faced obstacles, but how he responded to them. He has experienced success, disappointment, and the uncertainty of having to begin again, yet each phase strengthened rather than diverted his resolve. Years from now, when he walks into an operating theatre as a surgeon, his journey will reflect something larger than academic achievement, it will stand as a testament to perseverance, the quiet sacrifices of his family, and the opportunities that emerge when talent is recognised and supported at the right time.
