“On the exam day, luck was also on my side”: NEET AIR 1 Aryan Gupta reveals the habits, family support and the luck factor behind his success
Aryan Gupta from Punjab’s Ludhiana secured All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the Re-NEET UG 2026 examination conducted on June 21. He top-scored with 715 out of 720 marks. In a recent interview, Aryan spoke about the people who influenced his journey, the study routine that took him to the top and why he feels luck and the grace of God also played a role in his success.
A childhood dream nurtured by a family of doctors
3 Jul 2026 | 12:38
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For Aryan, medicine was never just another career option. Growing up in a family full of white coats, being a doctor was a natural dream to have. His father, Dr Sachin Gupta, is an anesthesiologist, while his mother, Dr Reenu Gupta, is a gynaecologist. Several other members of his extended family are doctors as well.Talking about his early motivation to ANI, Aryan said, “Yes, I come from a family of doctors. My maternal uncles and aunts, paternal grandparents, paternal aunts and uncles, all are doctors. So, since childhood, the thought has been that I want to become a doctor.”“As for studies, I used to do what was taught in classes and regularly did the homework given by teachers at home. Two years passed like this, and I worked as hard as I could. But yes, not everything happens with hard work,” he added.
“Luck was also on my side”
NEET UG 2026 AIR 1 Aryan Gupta. (Photo Credit: ETV Bharat)
Instead of taking all the credit for himself, he spoke about faith, timing and the people who stood by him. “Somewhere, God’s grace is also there. Luck also plays a big part. On the exam day, June 21st, luck was also on my side. I feel that’s why such a good result came.”He also gave credit for his success to his family. “I give the biggest credit to my elder brother. I give it to my parents, to my teachers. But yes, my role model, my inspiration for the last two years has been my elder brother,” he shared.“My elder brother, Aditya Gupta, secured AIR 54 in NEET 2025 and is studying MBBS at Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi,” Aryan told ANI.
A study routine built on consistency
Aryan’s preparation demanded enormous discipline. Speaking to PTI after the results, he revealed that he studied for 16 to 17 hours every day during his preparation. “I worked hard; I would not get sleep, but it is feeling surreal now, looking like a dream. Everyone is happy. I studied for 16-17 hours in a day,” he said.He also had a simple piece of advice for NEET aspirants. “Blindly follow your teachers. Do exactly what they tell you. Don’t overthink or try to create your own strategy in the beginning. Second, work honestly. If you don’t put in honest effort, you won’t get the result you want. Work as hard as you can for those two years and keep doing it sincerely. That’s all,” he told ANI.
His parents played a vital role in the preparation
Aryan celebrating with his parents.
Aryan’s mother Dr. Reenu Gupta also shared how the whole family’s effort helped Aryan achieve success. When asked how they balanced their own work and parenting? She said, “My husband was always very involved. Even when he was outside, he knew exactly what our son was doing. If I was busy downstairs with patients, he would remind me when Aryan had slept or when he needed to wake up.” “My responsibility was to make sure he got his meals on time and faced no problems while studying. After seeing one patient, I would quickly go upstairs to spend time with him. We always made sure to be with our children,” she told ANI.While Aryan says there is still a lot he wants to achieve in life, for now, he is simply taking time to enjoy this milestone.
Parenting lessons from Aryan Gupta’s journey
Aryan’s story has a lot to teach parents who are guiding their kids through the pressure-cooker world of competitive exams.Success rarely happens alone. Even after landing AIR 1, Aryan didn’t take a victory lap for himself. He was quick to credit his parents, his teachers, and especially his elder brother, refusing to frame it as a solo win. It’s a good reminder that emotional backing can matter just as much as academic coaching when a child is chasing something big.Slow and steady really does win. There was no last-minute miracle in Aryan’s preparation. He talked about simply showing up to class, doing his homework, and sticking to what his teachers taught him, for two straight years. No shortcuts, no dramatic all-nighters before the exam. Just quiet, consistent effort that added up over time.Ambition is great, but humility keeps it grounded. Even after cracking one of the hardest entrance exams in the country, Aryan didn’t act like he had it all figured out. He openly talked about luck, faith, and the people who helped him along the way. Teaching kids to stay grounded through success can matter just as much as pushing them to work hard in the first place.At the end of the day, Aryan’s journey is a nice reminder for parents: discipline and hard work matter, sure but kids tend to do best when they’re surrounded by encouragement, good role models, a sense of gratitude, and a reason to keep going that’s bigger than just the marks on a scorecard.
