Among the thousands who cleared the Indian Institute of Technology - Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) are 25 students who could hardly make their ends meet while they prepared for admission to the coveted institution of engineering. But thanks to Bihar's Super 30 that gave a direction and guidance to their efforts, ensuring them to script their tale of success.
The students, hailing from poor families, were groomed by Anand Kumar and other teachers as part of the well-known Super 30 programme. Apart from providing academic training, Kumar even took care of fooding and lodging of the aspirants.
Among those who made it to the IIT were sons of a daily wage earner, a roadside vendor, a private tutor and a magazine vendor.
Speaking about another successful stint of Super 30, Kumar said, "Super 30 is just a big family for me, which my wife, brother, mother and all my team members get attached to. In today's materialistic world, this is what gives me solace and strength to carry on."
He added that those who could not succeed this year need not lose heart, as opportunities would come to the hardworking sooner or later.
The parents of the successful aspirants also don't forget to hail Kumar for their children.
Yogeshwar Kumar, an agricultural labourer and father of successful aspirant Prem Pal, said, "Had Anand Sir's Super 30 not been there, my son would not have been able to study at all. How can I afford all this?" He added that Anand Kumar was like "another father" to his son.
The sentiments were echoed by Bhagwan Jha, a driver whose son Neeraj Kumar Jha cracked the IIT-JEE examination. "I had never imagined that my son would come this far. He was bright, but I did not have the resources. It was sheer good fortune of my child that he got Anand Sir, who took the burden off me. Today, what he has done for my son is something I could have never imagined even from my closes relatives," said Jha.
In Super 30, Anand Kumar selects 30 meritorious students every year, mostly from poor families and grooms them for IIT. The students stay with Anand and are provided free food and accommodation. Anand bears the expenses on his own, with no donations from anyone.
However, the highlight of this year's Super 30 performance was that of Sujit Kumar, who had failed to qualify to crack the entrance examination last year. This year, he was kept as the 31st student, in an exception to the usual practice. And he did not disappoint the mentor, as he made it to the IIT this time.
Speaking about Sujit's success, Anand Kumar said, "Technically, we had kept him as the 31st student, as he wanted to appear for the JEE again, but could not do so staying at home due to poverty. He stayed and made it. His passion helped other students as well."
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