Speaking exclusively to India.com, Gagan shared how in his community education was not a priority, and many children younger than him had to work to support their families.
New Delhi: Sometimes life has many surprises in store, but you need to be determined and hardworking to achieve it. In this series of success stories, we are talking about Gagan, a small-town boy from Atrauli in Aligarh who despite his humble background could make it to IIT, one of the premier institutes in the country. From being a daily wager to cracking IIT interview, Gagan’s story will surely inspire you to aspire in life.
Gagan Earned Just Rs 350 Per Day
Raised in a family of six, Gagan’s father worked as a godown keeper at a gas agency. To support his father, Gagan, and his elder brother worked alongside him, lifting gas cylinders for a daily wage of Rs 350. Despite the heavy burden of these responsibilities, he never gave up on his ambitions and refused to settle for less. Gagan stayed focused on his dream of getting into the IIT.
Speaking exclusively to India.com, Gagan shared how in his community education was not a priority, and many children younger than him had to work to support their families.
Working in Day, Pursuing Studies in Night
To earn just Rs 350 each day by lifting gas cylinders, Gagan and his brother had been doing this since very young age. Despite these hardships, Gagan did not back down but worked tirelessly during the day and pursued online studies from Physics Wallah after work at night through his mobile phone.
It was the only gadget available to him for studies as intense as JEE preparations. Through relentless effort and determination, he secured admission into IIT BHU in Electrical and Communication Engineering.
In a YouTube video, he shared how he balanced his laborious days and nights of study, ultimately overcoming his challenges to achieve his academic goals in spite of having very few resources and no access to high-end and expensive educational materials.
Gagan embarked on his academic journey with Physics Wallah’s online classes, steadily improving his marks throughout high school. He received tremendous help from Physics Wallah’s Arjuna batch for class 11th and Lakshay batch for class 12th, famous for preparing school students for the entrance.
He went on to enroll himself in the PW’s Prayas batch meant for dropouts to crack the entrance. He found comfort with the super affordable courses designed keeping in mind the financial limitations of a lot of students who fear at the thought of enrolling in similar institutions due to low financial resources.
Gagan Qualified Twice For JEE Mains
Even after qualifying twice for JEE mains, his ultimate goal remained cracking JEE Advanced to secure a spot in an IIT. Taking a year off to devote himself entirely to his studies, he achieved an impressive AIR 5286 in JEE Advanced 2024.
After watching a video about Gagan on YouTube, Alakh Pandey, Founder and CEO of Physics Wallah’s, was touched by his struggle and unwavering commitment to education. Pandey offered Gagan a scholarship worth Rs 4 lakhs to chase his dream. Additionally, recognizing the determination of both Gagan and his elder brother, he extended employment opportunities at Physics Wallah, ensuring they would no longer have to endure such labor.
Students who have limited financial capacities but extraordinary courage, dedication, and ambition must keep in mind that they are never alone in their journeys, and Gagan’s transition from hardships and success stands as proof of the fact that absolutely anything is possible if the focus is intact.