I am from a small town which is 50 kilometers away from Kolkata, West Bengal. I belong to a family which has very basic needs like water, food, clothing, shelter and respect. My family members have not even been to colleges but still we remain happy with whatever we earn.
I lost my father at a very early age and I have been living with my maternal uncle since I was a year old and that is the family I was talking about. My maternal home is my family now. From childhood I was taught the importance of people over money and kindness and knowledge over power. I was never pushed to study hard, they always wanted me to be passionate about whatever I do.
The day I learned about passion I started looking for it. I tried sports, teaching, farming till I reached my board exams but still couldn’t find my niche. After successfully passing my boards with decent marks I came to my higher secondary directionless with no burning desire. As all decent doing students in board take science I too went with the flow. I was studying only to pass. This was the reason I came to know about IITs and all very lately because my surrounding also comprised friends who aspired to become either teachers, police officers or a public servant. I came to know about premier colleges in engineering when I was about to give my final exams. It was my cousin who came to visit us told us about engineering and its scope and I was so thrilled that I thought of doing it but it was too late, the registration were already over. I didn’t lose hope and prepared myself mentally to prepare and sit for the entrance the next year.
I started by joining a local tuition for IIT JEE preparation and started to love the subjects just because the teacher, Prashant Kumar, was so phenomenal. I studied hard and made sure that I should not disappoint my teacher since my parents were already satisfied with me pursuing something with so dedication.
It was a month left before JEE mains when I had a mild fever and it carried on for a couple of days. We thought it was due to season change and we went to a local hospital, the doctor admitted me instantly asking us to get an X-ray of the chest. The very next day I came to know that I was suffering from tuberculosis, it was shocking for my parents but I was okay since I didn’t feel sick. But things didn’t stop there, few days later I started to have continuous high temperature fever and after a week, the doctors reported that I am also suffering from typhoid. The typhoid really took a toll on my body. I was always unconscious half of the day and was also unable to revise from my notebook which kept under my pillow. My doctors told that I won’t be able to sit for examinations but I was adamant and stubborn. I threatened them to run away from the hospital if they don’t allow me to go for examinations. After my continuous threats, they discharged me before the D day. I remember I took two paracetamols of 1000mg so that fever is nowhere near me for at least 3 hours but I forgot that lethargy is going to kick in. I was conscious for a couple of hours but after that weakness, lethargy made my head down on the desk. I was devastated but resilience was a thing that I was taught from a very tender age.
I was unable to get into any premier institutions but I managed to bag full scholarship for my engineering and got into a reputed private college of West Bengal, Techno India. Finally I managed to pursue engineering in computer science. I was excited for a year and then I realised coding is not something that I am interested in.
The year when I started to explore about myself my mother met a terrible accident and we almost lost her. I grieved every day and gave all that I could physically, mentally so as bring her back from almost dead. As we are not a privileged family only the government hospitals can help us since we don’t have the capital to admit her in a private hospital. She was very critical and such critical patient was thrown into the normal ward due to non availability beds in ICU rooms. I wept like a six year child because I felt alone and was not ready for such a responsibility. My maternal uncle was busy raising funds from the market for her treatment. I felt helpless cried in front of doctors again and again. Slept on the street benches all night since hospital was almost 60km away from our home. God showed some mercy and after a couple of grievous days she was transferred to the ICU. She was in coma and doctors were not sure of operating since she was very critical. She was hurt on her head and she needed neurosurgery. Finally doctors arrived at a consensus of operating her and I can remember the day when I was shivering outside the operation theatre in the hot summers of April. The hospital became my home waiting for my mother to come back from sleep and after twenty nine days she regained consciousness. I was so happy but soon realised that the lady in front of me is totally different from my mother. She was unable to speak and the worst part she didn't recognise us.
I was a bit disappointed but I thanked God for letting her be with me.
Years passed and she underwent several checkups and three critical operations. She started recovering and also remembering her son. My grades degraded in all successive semesters and till she was stable I was in my seventh semester with exams and campus placements waiting at my doorstep. I pressurised myself to learn coding or else I won’t be able to get a job and hence won’t be able relieve my happy face maternal uncle of financial burden. My uncle was going through a lot but he never showed a glimpse of burden. This was the first time in my life when money became important over passion.
I finally managed to secure a job in a mass recruiter MNC. I studied well and also performed well enough in successive semesters.
I joined the firm but was not satisfied with what I was doing. With all the terrible things which happened in last few years, I realised that I was managing all household expenses and my mom’s treatment in such an efficient way that we didn’t had to ask anyone for help though I started giving tuitions, helped my uncle in the market and saving each and every penny. This is the niche I was looking for where I had finally solved a real life problem of lack of resources and funds with my managing and “juggad” skills.
I gave free tuitions to the ambulance driver so that he can let my mother to hospital whenever needed. I got medicines from generic medical store, went to college by taking lifts, used to grow vegetables in my backyard, bought staples on my ration card from government ration shop and as well as took the ration cards from my neighbours so as to get subsidised kerosene for cooking. Donated blood and also encouraged others to donate blood so that we can avail blood from blood bank whenever needed without paying.
After working for a couple of years in software development I took a bold step to quit my job and pursue CAT so as to get an MBA. I was not afraid because my uncle supported me completely and made me remember that we and our aspirations are important and not money.
So today I am a student in IIT Kanpur one of the most prestigious B-schools in India with a direction to help startups with limited funds and resources to prosper and gain momentum.
Moral of the story keep looking and you will find your niche in the toughest phase of your life.
