'Wish I Didn't Top': UP Topper Prachi Nigam's Message to Trolls Will Break Your Heart

Prachi Nigam, the high-achieving UP Board Class 10 topper with a remarkable 98.50 percent, found herself in an unexpected spotlight due to online trolling about her facial hair. In an interview with BBC News Hindi, Prachi, with a smile, expressed disappointment about being more of a social media sensation for her looks rather than her outstanding academic performance.

Reflecting on the situation, she remarked, “If I had scored just 1-2 marks less, I wouldn’t have gained this social media popularity and wouldn’t have faced such trolling for my appearance.” Speaking openly about the regular taunts she faces in person for her appearance, the teen sighed, “It hurts, but people on social media will say what they want, and there’s no stopping them.”

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Since then, hearts have gone out to her online, as folks couldn’t fathom the impact of the thoughtless trolls who never paused before poking fun at her appearance. “We failed as a society for her,” lamented one user, sharing a snippet of her BBC interview.

Comments poured in on the viral post, with one person writing, “The best moment in her life is now a painful memory. Social media can be very toxic and cruel.” Another comment read, “More than the society, the people who trolled her are the real losers. We are a society filled with losers who are ready to bark at every successful person, more so if that person is a woman.”

Yet another comment sympathised, “Poor thing . Imagine the emotional trauma she would’ve undergone …” ” On a positive note, a fourth comment praised her resilience against trolls, saying, “It takes some next level courage to stand against this level of hate from the world. She’s way too strong for this.”

Prachi also shared her aspirations, stating that she aims to become an engineer in the future and is fully focused on pursuing her dreams.

Her mother, Mamta Nigam, spoke about how she supported her daughter after the trolling began, saying, “I encouraged my daughter to ignore the trolls, and to my surprise, many social media users supported her after a few days.”

Prachi’s father, Chandra Prakash Nigam, acknowledged their disappointment with the trolling but emphasised their pride in their daughter’s achievement. “There are all kinds of people in society. We naturally felt bad, but at the same time, we are proud of our daughter for scoring the highest marks,” he said.

Mrs. Nigam also mentioned that she had planned to seek medical advice for her daughter’s treatment, but the trolling came before they could take action. “Her treatment will now be undertaken by the government,” she added.

Also Read: ‘She Deserves Respect’: UP Class 10th Topper Prachi Nigam Trolled Over ‘Facial Hair’ Gets Support

Nonetheless, despite her family’s positive response, this incident serves as a stark reminder of how even the most insignificant matters can snowball into major internet controversies, all centred around a mere 16-year-old.