An average student who went on to score high in B-town

Legendary singer Kishore Kumar preferred singing and music to studies during his student days and was very clear in the formative years of his life that he wanted to make a "mark" in the fledgling Hindi film industry.

Kumar, whose 89th birth anniversary is being celebrated on Saturday, had an average academic record, as per documents available with the Indore Christian College (ICC), where he enrolled for intermediate in 1946. He secured third division with just 326 marks out of 800 in high school examination (Class 10), according to the documents submitted to the ICC for admission.

Kumar, born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly into a Bengali family in adjoining Khandwa district, did his high schooling from his hometown before moving to Indore for further studies.

"A copy of his marksheet was found in a dusty file in the ICC's record room. We searched for it as it is related to memories connected with the great artist's school life," ICC history department professor Swaroop Vajpayee told PTI.

"Once during a civic class, Kishore was caught thumping his desk as if he was playing tabla. The teacher asked him to focus on studies with suggestions that singing and music will not help him in any way in the future. "With a broad smile, Kishore told his teacher politely that he will eke out a living by singing," Vajpayee said.

"He owed panch rupaiya barah aana (Rs 5.75) to the canteen owner at Indore Christian College then," the professor said. It is believed that famous song "Panch Rupaiya Barah Aana", from 1958 film "Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi", has its genesis to this incident.