Bagalkot: A girl student from Kozhikode, Kerala, has set a record of sorts by bagging as many as 18 gold medals at the sixth convocation of the University of Horticultural Sciences here. Delna Rose, the medal-winning student, has secured the 54th rank in the national-level entrance test conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

She is now pursuing MSc in plant pathology at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand. Pro-chancellor of the varsity and Horticulture Minister S S Mallikarjun gave away the medals at the convocation held here on Tuesday.

Sunny Thomas, the father of Delna, is an advocate while her mother Rosamma is a high school teacher. “There was no compromise when it came to studies since my childhood. I studied for four hours a day while pursuing the degree course. I was expecting a rank, but didn’t know I will get so many medals,” Rose said in chaste Kannada. She said she chose to study at the college of horticulture, Kolar, since it was close to Bengaluru. She now aims to take up research.

Incidentally, Ashwathi Jyotsana, also from Kerala, had secured the highest number of gold medals (16) at the university’s convocation last year. Mahanthagouda G Rajolli of Kodaganur in Muddebihal taluk in Vijayapura has secured four gold medals in vegetable science. He studied high school in Kannada medium and now works as an assistant horticulture officer at Lalbagh in Bengaluru.

President of Horticultural Society of India, Dr K L Chadha, delivered the convocation address. Various degrees were conferred on 528 students at the convocation. A total of 52 gold medals were given away to 16 students.