Abu Dhabi pupil accepted by 16 top universities - in pictures

Akio Shirali, a year 13 pupil at the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi, has received offers from 16 leading universities and will be pursuing his bachelor's studies at Stanford University in the US. Pawan Singh / The National
Akio Shirali, a year 13 pupil at the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi, has received offers from 16 leading universities and will be pursuing his bachelor's studies at Stanford University in the US. Pawan Singh / The National
Akio suffers from a rare health condition, a combination of coeliac disease and alopecia universalis, but that has not hindered his academic excellence. Pawan Singh / The National
Akio suffers from a rare health condition, a combination of coeliac disease and alopecia universalis, but that has not hindered his academic excellence. Pawan Singh / The National
From left: Akio, Matteo Sottocornola and Wilson Huijsmans. The team competed in Genes in Space, a space exploration competition in 2017, sponsored by Boeing, Nasa, miniPCR, and the UAE Space Agency. Akio's team were runners-up at national level. Antonie Robertson / The National
From left: Akio, Matteo Sottocornola and Wilson Huijsmans. The team competed in Genes in Space, a space exploration competition in 2017, sponsored by Boeing, Nasa, miniPCR, and the UAE Space Agency. Akio's team were runners-up at national level. Antonie Robertson / The National
Akio, 18, is also a cycling enthusiast and has completed the UAE Coast to Coast Challenge, a route that takes you from the west of the country to the east. Pawan Singh / The National
Akio, 18, is also a cycling enthusiast and has completed the UAE Coast to Coast Challenge, a route that takes you from the west of the country to the east. Pawan Singh / The National
The Indian pupil at the Genes in Space contest in 2017. Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National
The Indian pupil at the Genes in Space contest in 2017. Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National