CM Fadnavis Hails Nashik Girl's All India Rank 1 in CA Intermediate
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Sakshi Chandak from Igatpuri, Nashik, on securing All India Rank 1 in the CA Intermediate exam, calling her achievement an inspiration for rural students and women across the state.
Key Takeaways
Sakshi Chandak from Igatpuri, Nashik district secured All India Rank 1 in the CA Intermediate examination.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly congratulated her on 23 October 2026 via X.
The CA Intermediate exam is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and is among India's most competitive professional exams.
Igatpuri is a small town on the Western Ghats in Nashik district — not a conventional exam-prep hub — making the achievement especially notable.
CM Fadnavis framed the achievement under #WomenAchievers , linking it to broader state narratives on rural talent and women's empowerment.
A girl from Igatpuri, a small town tucked into the hills of Nashik district, has just topped the entire country. Sakshi Chandak secured All India Rank 1 in the CA Intermediate examination — and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the first to make sure the achievement didn't go unnoticed.
Taking to X on Friday, 23 October 2026, CM Fadnavis extended his 'heartiest congratulations' to Sakshi, calling her achievement a reflection of 'dedication and hard work' that would inspire students across rural Maharashtra. He also offered 'heartfelt appreciation' to her parents and teachers for their support and guidance.
From Igatpuri to the top of India's toughest finance exam
The CA Intermediate examination is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) — the body that regulates the chartered accountancy profession across the country. It is one of the most competitive professional examinations in India, drawing lakhs of candidates each cycle. Securing All India Rank 1 from any background is a feat. Doing it from a small town like Igatpuri makes the story sharper still.
Igatpuri is primarily known as a transit town on the Western Ghats, a gateway to Nashik for travellers from Mumbai. It is not a city associated with coaching hubs or exam-prep infrastructure. Sakshi's rank, in that context, lands with real weight — a reminder that geography does not have to be destiny.
Why Maharashtra's leaders spotlight rural toppers
State leaders in Maharashtra have a visible pattern of publicly congratulating individual academic toppers in national professional examinations — particularly those from rural or semi-urban districts. The gesture serves a dual purpose: it rewards the achiever with state-level visibility, and it signals to students in smaller towns that the state is watching and cheering. For a government that has repeatedly emphasised women's empowerment and rural development, amplifying a woman topper from Nashik's outskirts carries clear symbolic resonance.
CM Fadnavis specifically used the hashtags #WomenAchievers and #Maharashtra, framing Sakshi's success within a broader narrative of the state's rising talent pool — not just as an individual milestone.
Point of View
Such gestures — frequent, visible, targeted at identifiable communities — are a low-cost, high-return part of the CM's communication playbook. The real question worth watching is whether the attention translates into any structural support for students from towns like Igatpuri, or remains a moment of social-media warmth.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sakshi Chandak and what did she achieve?
Sakshi Chandak is a student from Igatpuri, Nashik district, Maharashtra , who secured All India Rank 1 in the CA Intermediate examination conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
What is the CA Intermediate examination?
The CA Intermediate examination is a national-level professional exam conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) . It is the second stage in the three-stage Chartered Accountancy course and is considered one of the most competitive professional exams in India.
Why did CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulate Sakshi Chandak?
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Sakshi Chandak on 23 October 2026 after she secured All India Rank 1 in the CA Intermediate exam, citing her achievement as an inspiration for students across rural Maharashtra.
Where is Igatpuri located?
Igatpuri is a town in Nashik district, Maharashtra , situated in the Western Ghats. It is a relatively small town known primarily as a transit point between Mumbai and Nashik.
Is it significant that a student from Igatpuri topped the CA Intermediate exam?
Yes — Igatpuri is a small town without the exam-prep infrastructure of major cities. Securing All India Rank 1 from such a background is widely regarded as a testament to individual effort, and CM Fadnavis highlighted it specifically to inspire students from rural Maharashtra.
