I was the first boy in my town to go away to prepare for the engineering entrance exams, especially for the IIT exam, in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh). It was quite challenging for me to study in English, as I had completed all my childhood education in Hindi. Compared to the other students who had studied in English their entire lives, I was far behind. They could quickly understand and respond when the teacher asked questions, while I struggled.
It took me more than six months to grasp the essential meanings of the terms used in the curriculum. Fortunately, I had enrolled in a foundation batch for the IIT exam, which was a two-year program. This gave me over a year to catch up and work on my weaknesses.
I worked hard for the exam, dedicating over 10 hours a day to achieving my dream of getting into IIT. Finally, the day of the entrance exam arrived, and I was so excited that I reached the examination center two hours early. This was the first entrance exam I had ever taken, and I was eager to pursue my engineering dream.
Unfortunately, I was not lucky enough to secure admission to IIT, despite my hard work over two years. I was deeply frustrated and wondered why I couldn't pass the exam, feeling as though my dream had ended. However, my parents encouraged me, saying it wasnât the end. They supported me to prepare for another year and assured me that they were with me every step of the way. They urged me to work harder, crack the IIT exam, or at least get a good rank in other exams.
I rejoined a coaching institute and went through the same rigorous preparation process. Unfortunately, I still couldnât secure a seat at IIT, but I did achieve a good rank in other exams. So, after discussions with my father, we decided that I should enroll at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha to continue my engineering studies and prove that I could achieve something meaningful with my life.
I was very nervous when I traveled with my father for the counseling session in Odisha, more than 1500 km from our home. This was my first time visiting another state, crossing more than four states to get there. I had so many questions in my mind:
- Will I be able to stay there alone if I get admitted?
- How would I communicate with others, since I only knew Hindi?
- What if they start speaking English? How will I feel in front of others?
- Will I be able to understand what the professors teach?
- Will I be able to graduate without any backlogs after four years of competition?
After a 30-hour train journey, we finally reached KIIT University. I was astonished at how large the campus was. They provided free bus services to help students and parents explore the campus before making admission decisions. I had never seen such a huge university; it felt like a dream.
Many other parents and students spoke in English, and they were dressed well. My father and I stood apart, quietly observing. We were already nervous because the place was so far from home, and we didnât have much experience speaking English. My father asked if I was comfortable studying there, given my English wasn't as strong as others'.
I assured my father that he shouldnât worry. I promised him that I would work hard, make him proud, and not only earn an engineering degree but also excel in the field of research, which had been my dream since childhood. I was admitted to KIIT in the Computer Science and Engineering branch from 2010 to 2014.
During my engineering studies, I achieved the following:
- Conducted research on deriving new formulas, which were published in the IJSER Journal.
- Authored a book titled Modern Principles of Heisenberg and Einstein, published in Germany in 2013.
- Selected for the Summer Research Internship and Fellowship Program at the National Institute of Science and Technology in 2014.
- Selected for the Summer Internship Program at the International Institute for Advanced Scientific Studies (IIASS) in 2015.
- Received the "Best Student Achievement Award" at KIIT University.
- Received appreciation from former ISRO Chairman Dr. Radha Krishnan for my research in quantum physics.
- Featured in nationally acclaimed newspapers like AMAR UJALA, The Telegraph, and KIIT Review.
After earning my B.Tech degree, I moved to Malaysia for my higher studies, pursuing an MSc in Software Engineering from 2015 to 2016. During my masterâs degree, I accomplished the following:
- Published research papers on various topics such as SOA Design and Development, Reuse Support Systems, and Cloud Computing in the International Journal of Novel Research and Development (IJNRD).
- Served as a reviewer for multiple journals, including the Journal of Computer Science and American Journal of Applied Sciences.
- Became an editor for the International Journal for Innovation Education and Research (IJIER).
Malaysia was the first country where I began my professional career as an Android Developer. Now, I am working as a Lead Software Engineer at UST.
Looking back on my journey, I feel that I have achieved a lot, yet I continue striving for more.
Thank you for reading this article.
