Life took a turn!
My Experiment with Entrepreneurship in my life’s oddest days!
Life was good despite challenges in life after getting admission in one of the best National Institute of Technology of India, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, the then Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College, Uttar Pradesh India. Everybody, including my family and me, was working hard to defeat the seemingly unconquerable poverty. The dream was about to turn into reality; it was just two years away! But life took a turn when I suffered from Insomnia. And, poverty got a chance again to show its might! I had to drop the college, Could not appear in the exam due to ill health and later had No money to repeat the Semester.
The dreams and aspirations which were just two years away to turn into reality shattered in front of my eyes, and I was feeling helpless!
What next? No straight answer, – My family members were worried and settled with minimum expectation for the time being, if somehow, they can save me from bad health. As everything was dependent on money, a lot of stress was there on my family, and uncertainly was adding fuel to it.
A doctor who prescribed not only medicine but a fresh hope for me!
There was a psychiatrist from KGMC, Lucknow, UP, India, who used to organise a camp on every Sunday around 15 to 20 Kilometers away from my native village to serve the less privileged people at low fees as compared to his standard market consultation fees. My family was trying every option even if it was with less hope to get me on track in terms of my health issues. Once, I visited the doctor; first, he listens to all my concerns for about 15 to 20 minutes. He tried to know about my family and me. Finally, he said you have no health issues, and I can guarantee you that you will do wonders in life, you will achieve what you wish to. It is not the end of the world. Just believe in me and take some light medicines which I am going to prescribed you, take rest for a month without worrying about your study gap and readmission problem. I will recommend your college to give you whatever time you wish to take on the medical ground to so that you can go back again to college to complete your Engineering. Life is not a straight line. Many people in the world have done wonder even after their college dropout, so why you cannot do that! You have just to figure out the way forward to solve your financial problem. Then come to me for a medical certificate, I will give it in writing to your college, and nobody will deny readmitting you again even after a gap of one year or more as the case may be!
I came out from the doctor’s chamber with a new ray of hope, and the rest was history. I was feeling better and relieved as if nothing has happened. I started noticing that day by day; I am getting better and able to take proper sleep. Everything starts appearing good to my family members.
In search of how to make money
I had dropped the college in the 4th Semester in Feb 2003. The health issue was almost settled in 2 to 3 months. To repeat the 4th Semester and to get readmission till Dec-2003 was the deadline. The money was the main concern. Scholarship for 1st and 2nd year has already been exhausted. I was in search of how to arrange money so that I can take readmission in 4th Semester of Engineering in the next session in Dec-2003.
The family members, including my elder brothers, had almost accepted the defeat as no one was able to see the way out. Even I did not have way out at that time, but the only difference between my family members and me was that I was still hopeful and directing my energy on as to how to find one way out to arrange the money to continue for the dream life. When at the same time, others were delving on reasons as to why we should stop venturing into such unrealistic dreams.
The entire family was filled with negativity- This world does not belong to the poorest of the poor—only money and connection work. Even if we sell out the land, which is the single source of the lively hood to fund the education, there is no guarantee of employment without connection and bribery! Even people in society were making fun about my dreams and aspirations of trying to do something beyond normal. It was not their fault; in fact, it was the byproduct of poverty which was showing might in different forms to me. The perception in society that poor people have taken birth to suffer. Nothing much can happen to them. Breaking the vicious circle of poverty is just next to impossible. My elder brothers had enough reasons in favour of NOT pursuing further study. But it was not acceptable to me. If I cannot do something different in this life, I am not going to get another life. In fact, I will produce more poor by not working on getting the family out from the vicious circle of poverty!
I was alone on my dream life journey except for my helpless parents who could not do anything even if they wanted from within. It was the month of June -2020, and schools were about to open for the next session, I was laying on the cot in the afternoon after taking lunch. Thought was going on in mind, what do I have, what can I do with whatever I have to arrange money? The idea came to my mind, if I can start computer education in nearby private school then it can be a game changer not only for schools but also for the students as there was no school with computer facility. I had my computer with me, and the knowledge of the computer was the only asset in my possession. I immediately picked up the cycle and went to the owner of one the private school and enquire about the vacancy of a teacher if any in the next academic session. He said as such there is no vacancy, but I can let you know later on. I also shared my plan to change the fate of school through computer education and how it can be a big differentiator as compared to others to increase the number of admissions in the upcoming academic session. He knew about me, and he had heard much about my academic achievements. He said but, I may not be able to pay you as per your qualification! I am giving INR 750 to all the teachers. I can provide a maximum of INR 800/- per month for teaching maths & English. I can give you INR 800/- per month in addition to monthly salary if you deploy your computer in my school and teach computer free of cost to the students. I agreed to the offer with additional permission to give paid computer coaching to interested outsiders in the school computer centre, and he accepted the same. This way, my first venture to serves others through computer education started in July 2003. There were only 5 to 6 months remained to get admission, and the readmission fee was INR 15000/- for 4th Semester. I needed a minimum INR 30000/- for 4th and 5th Semester.
The acceptance of my offer to start computer education in a private school was another big hope. I was happy and hopeful for the future, but there was uncertainty amongst this hope- maybe I will not be able to make enough money before Dec-2003 which was part of pan A. So, there was plan B wherein Dec 2004 was the deadline to take readmission in college with 100% as one and half year would be enough to arrange INR 30000 to 40000/-
When I used to come to home during summer holiday while studying in the Jawahar Navoday Vidyalay, I used to give coaching to the interested student in the village, especially for how to crack the entrance examination of Jawahar Navoday Vidyalay. In bad days, I utilised a teacher hidden in me to help me make money out of it and started tuition to 6th to 12th class students. This coaching service was given wide publicity through pamphlets for computer education and tutoring. Coaching, I used to offer from 6:00 to 7:00 AM in the morning, and in the evening, 6:00 PM -7:00 PM, 7:30 PM-8:30 PM, 9:00 PM-10:00 PM. The tuition fees which I used to get was not much as the area was mostly rural. But, the students from far-flung areas used to come to me, and they used to pay INR 100 or INR 150 or INR 200 per month. Even after doing so much, it was uncertain whether I will be able to manage enough money to get back to college in Dec-2003 or not as there was not much time?
Plan C of my Life during bad days
Although, I was sure at least plan B of my life will work if not plan A; still, I had a plan C- Who knows what will happen tomorrow. As part of this plan, try for some job, based on educational qualification up to 12th class and invest in education through distance learning mode to complete graduation in subjects of interest so that later, I become eligible for civil services. Because I was sure If poverty does not disturb me, I can do wonders! Therefore, as part of this plan C of my life, I applied for one job in the forest department for some supervisory role in Bihar, where the selection was based on percentage achieved in 10th and 12th class. I remember it, was the month of February, a lot of fog was there. I received a letter saying congratulation on your selection, please join so and so date. But the date which was mentioned in the letter was falling just next day. The problem was how to reach there! No money to fly with an aeroplane. Even a train couldn’t take me to the destination the next day and that too when there was so much foggy session. I quit the thought of joining the job and continued the profession of teaching and coaching. But this offer letter gave me confidence that YES, I can do it come what may! Also, as part of plan C of my life, I enrolled my self in part-time BA with English, Economics and History from Kanpur University in English Medium and I used to self-study which was not only helpful to me but also helpful to teach in a more effective manner. But when BA first year examination was near, I enquired about the admit card then I came to know that the registration has been cancelled due to non-availability of the sufficient number of students in English Medium in the subject opted. It did not impact me as I was sure about the plan B. Although if I could have appeared in the examination, I would have passed the same.
My friend visited me and stepped in for support
My school days friend Dinesh whom, I used to meet every vacation. But in the year 2003, he could not see me. There was no phone where he could connect. Therefore, after waiting for a long time, he visited me around in the month of Dec-2003 when the readmission date in college was almost over. I had also completely switched to plan B and as I was of the view that instead of stressing too much let us get back to college in Dec-2004 with enough back up of money.
He stayed with me for one night at my native home and enquired about all what happened. He said you could have shared this before then we would have done something. I said I want to do it my own self! Still, he insisted and said let us visit my father as he wanted to meet you but could not contact you. We both visited his father’s place of posting. In the evening he enquired about everything that happened to me, and in the last, he said one thing- Simply tell me one thing if you wish to continue the study let me know, I will fund one or two-semester fees without any condition. If you will be able to change the fate of your family, then it would be a success for me. It was another big emotional support and a ray of hope toward my plan B. I said uncle, I will take admission in next session, and I will seek help as and when required but not much maybe INR 150000 to 20000.
Sister’s Wedding
In spite of tough time, when even my elder brothers had given up the idea of turning fate through education and getting a corporate job after that, I was happy with the hope that one day I will be able to succeed in my envisioned endeavour. However, due to this rigidity of life goal, I was left alone to fight my own journey. There was no connection despite being family members after my health recovery and starting teaching profession. Two of my elder brothers and one younger were settled in Amritsar Punjab to make a living along with their family. There were only my parents and me, along with my younger sister and elder sister who was living with her two kids for education. My parents’ only wish was if somehow, they can marry the youngest sister! They were worried due to the lack of cohesiveness among all their children. Since, they were not sure when I will succeed and will return after leaving home for further study, they requested to take all the brothers into confidence and arrange the groom for youngest sister and then go for further study. Money was the biggest problem, but there was a hope which my friend’s father had given. He had given a cushion where I could go to rely on in a certain messy situation. I search for a suitable match, made all the arrangement for marriage in May 2004 with minimum possible expenditure. Also, made mind to spend some money on marriage out of my saving for fees and take remaining from other brothers keeping college fee for the First Semester. Everybody was there in the entire marriage ceremony and related rituals. In the end, nobody bothered to ask what I will do! All my brothers were happy with what I was able to make while living in the village, as I was able to manage better than they themselves. That was the time when no one believed me except me- what I wanted to do in life!
It was all set to go back to college in Dec-2004 after younger sister’s marriage in May 2004 with saving from working as a teacher, computer coaching, tuition to students and emotional and financial backup support from friend-Dinesh and his father- Sh. Sita Ram. I got the medical certificate from the doctor as per promise with the recommendation of rest for one year. For struggle in college after joining back, please turn to the next chapter