The one-room tenement in Yashoda Nagar Ganga colony of Kanpur is witness to a glorious success story.
Abhishek Kumar Bharti, who lives in this cramped house with his mother, father and three siblings, has ranked 154 in the IIT entrance examination.
What makes his success remarkable is the fact that Abhishek did not have facilities that his peers had. There was a shortage of books, lack of guidance and coaching and almost no electricity.
“The house where I live in has no electricity. During the day, I used to take up odd jobs to supplement the family income and at night, I had to study with a kerosene lamp. I am very happy that my efforts have paid off,” says Abhishek rather modestly.
Abhishek’s father, Rajendra Prasad, works as a cobbler and Abhishek helps his father. Together the two manage to earn between Rs 50-70 a day. His mother does stitching to add to the family income.
“I could not afford coaching for Abhishek, but he was so diligent that a teacher in a local coaching centre offered to help him without charging a penny. Abhishek got first division in high school and cleared Intermediate with 84 per cent marks. He would study against all odds and, today, the God has answered our prayers,” said the father with a lump in his throat.
Abhishek, despite his success in the IIT entrance examinations, is more concerned about his siblings’ education. “I want them to study and make a future for themselves. I will do everything possible to ensure that they study further,” he says.
He wants to become an aerospace engineer, but his parents are worried about meeting the cost of his education. “He has come this far on his own and we will even go hungry to pay for his education now,” says Mr Prasad. Abhishek is neither ashamed of his humble background and neither is he worried about the future.