The Student Who Let the Medal Announce Her
Times of Bennett | Updated: Nov 26, 2025 00:44
Correspondent: Mridvika Prashar
When Pranavi Ambati joinedBennett University in 2022 for her BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, she did not picture herself graduating with the Vice-Chancellor’s Gold Medal. She had come from Mumbai, choosing Bennett after hearing about its industry exposure and the opportunities it offered. The shift to Delhi wasn’t an easy choice, but studying journalism mattered more.
Her goals during her first year were simple: learn, adapt, and try to excel in whatever the program offered. “I do not think when I set my first foot into Bennett, I had ever imagined that I would be graduating with a gold medal,” she said. The idea first occurred to her only after attending the second convocation, where she watched seniors win medals. “It would be so nice if I could also graduate with one,” she remembered thinking at the time.
Academically, her approach was steady but not repetitive. She didn’t believe in doing the same tasks every day for the sake of consistency. “Consistency is nice, but I feel consistency can also lead to stagnation,” she said. Instead, she pushed herself in small ways like reading new articles, exploring topics she wasn’t familiar with, and trying to grow her knowledge bit by bit.
One moment that stood out for her came in her very first semester during the print journalism elective. Each student had to contribute to an eight-page newspaper they produced as part of the course. While most wrote about campus happenings or events in India, Pranavi experimented with a different angle. India’s position on the Russia–Ukraine war was being discussed widely at the time, and she decided to write an analysis on whether Nehru’s idea of non-alignment still held relevance for India in the 21st century. It was a small column, but she was proud of attempting something unique. “I was able to use the resources I had and put out something no other student in the class did,” she said.
Her academic journey wasn’t without pressure. A significant challenge came in her fifth semester during the event management course, where she was selected as one of four students responsible for leading the AI x Media Summit, the first time such an event was organized atTSOM . Coordinating the entire batch, handling outreach, keeping morale steady, and making decisions during difficult moments tested her ability to lead. “There were moments when fights broke out,” she recalled, “and we had to make very difficult choices.” The summit eventually turned into a successful event, appreciated by faculty and guests alike, and it pushed her to grow beyond her comfort zone.
Parallel to her academics, Pranavi found her footing professionally through internships atTimes Now . Even as an intern, she was assigned real newsroom tasks, including writing copies and stacks for stories that went on air. Now, she works as a preview reporter on the output desk, contributing to national political stories and occasionally to international ones, areas she is naturally drawn to. She sees her current role as a space to keep learning, guided by senior colleagues and the fast pace of the desk.
The news of her medal remained quiet until the convocation. Even faculty members were unsure who the topper would be until the final days. A few reached out to her, asking if it was her, but she didn’t want to assume anything. “I know myCGPA , but I haven’t discussed it with anybody else,” she had told them. Her friends found out only on the day of the ceremony when she was moved to the medallist seating. Walking on stage was a moment she took in with a mixture of calm and disbelief. The sound coordination on stage was poor, and she recalled the announcer’s voice not aligning with the order in which students were standing which made her a bit nervous in that moment. The highlight for her was meeting her parents afterward and handing them the medal. She saw it as the outcome of their efforts as much as hers.
Now, she keeps the medal tucked away rather than displayed. For her, it marks a milestone, not a point to dwell on. She prefers moving forward with the same steady mindset she carried through her degree growing through quiet effort, learning through experience, and progressing without making noise about it.
(This article is written by Mridvika Prashar, a 3rd yearBA Mass Communication student. She is passionate about social issues, and she likes exploring and writing about their influence on society.)
When Pranavi Ambati joined
Her goals during her first year were simple: learn, adapt, and try to excel in whatever the program offered. “I do not think when I set my first foot into Bennett, I had ever imagined that I would be graduating with a gold medal,” she said. The idea first occurred to her only after attending the second convocation, where she watched seniors win medals. “It would be so nice if I could also graduate with one,” she remembered thinking at the time.
Academically, her approach was steady but not repetitive. She didn’t believe in doing the same tasks every day for the sake of consistency. “Consistency is nice, but I feel consistency can also lead to stagnation,” she said. Instead, she pushed herself in small ways like reading new articles, exploring topics she wasn’t familiar with, and trying to grow her knowledge bit by bit.
One moment that stood out for her came in her very first semester during the print journalism elective. Each student had to contribute to an eight-page newspaper they produced as part of the course. While most wrote about campus happenings or events in India, Pranavi experimented with a different angle. India’s position on the Russia–Ukraine war was being discussed widely at the time, and she decided to write an analysis on whether Nehru’s idea of non-alignment still held relevance for India in the 21st century. It was a small column, but she was proud of attempting something unique. “I was able to use the resources I had and put out something no other student in the class did,” she said.
Her academic journey wasn’t without pressure. A significant challenge came in her fifth semester during the event management course, where she was selected as one of four students responsible for leading the AI x Media Summit, the first time such an event was organized at
Parallel to her academics, Pranavi found her footing professionally through internships at
The news of her medal remained quiet until the convocation. Even faculty members were unsure who the topper would be until the final days. A few reached out to her, asking if it was her, but she didn’t want to assume anything. “I know my
Now, she keeps the medal tucked away rather than displayed. For her, it marks a milestone, not a point to dwell on. She prefers moving forward with the same steady mindset she carried through her degree growing through quiet effort, learning through experience, and progressing without making noise about it.
(This article is written by Mridvika Prashar, a 3rd year
