What happened to Indian who couldn’t join Cambridge University in 1994

Brajesh Kumar
Sep 5, 2018 · 10 min read
Source: Cambridge University wallpaper by wallpapercave

1st October 1994. The guy was supposed to be there at University of Cambridge. He was having research offer from Cambridge University in Mathematics based on his work published in international journals. A citizen of most backward state Bihar, belonging to so called third world nation. It was a big lap indeed. Instead he ended up selling papad (Indian snacks) on the streets of Patna, the capital of Indian state of Bihar.

His name was Anand kumar. Whose “Super 30” school initiative become pioneer of teaching because of its innovative teaching methodology and was listed in four most innovative school in the world by Newsweek.

Born on 1st of January, 1973, to a poor family as son of a clerk working in the Indian postal department, Anand’s initial schooling was in Hindi medium only.

In India, primary schooling is usually conducted in either English or in any other regional language. Accordingly schools get categorised. Most of the schools which teaches in English are run by private bodies and charges relatively higher fee.

Hindi is most widely spoken language in India and its first language of Northern Indian state. Most of the family scarifies a lot and put their best effort so that their children study in English medium schools for a better education. Society perception has become such that if you are studying in English medium school then your family is applaud and apart from your IQ, that language only become sole criteria that qualifies you as intelligent.

This gives birth of behavioural discrimination and shatter confidence level of child who has just stepped into this real world.

Back in 80s, it was more prevalent. Anand’s father was a clerk but he knew value of education. He new education is the only tool in the hands of weak and marginalised society that can keep their spirit lifted. His father used to buy old books from the streets about great personalities, math, science etc. for Anand, which had a very positive impact on Anand’s life.

With the time, by reading science magazines and books, science became his passion and which turned into addiction. Like any other kid he was always dreaming to be like Ramanujam , Aryabhatt or Thomas Edison since old days. His love to create scientific models badly affected his studies and he barely managed to pass his class 8th grade examinations.

That day the mechanic, on whose shop he used to spend the whole day said to him “Your craziness will lead you to end up being a mechanic only”

All this pushes him to pursue interest in other subjects as well and in 9th grade he met Mr.Ranendra, who was his math teacher then. He helped him in developing interest in mathematics which defined his journey and turned him into math icon of country.

Rise of a Mathematician

Source: Super30

Later after completing high school , he took up Mathematics honors for study in UG at B N college under Patna University. While he was in second year, one of his mathematical theories on theory of divisibility got published in “The Mathematical Gazette of London” journal. Another one the squaring of the digits of the number got published in Mathematical spectrum. In his undergraduate days, his 4–5 papers were already published in international journals. He was in the news and everyone starts recognizing him. A student from college in Patna whose paper has got published in International journal!! That was a big achievement at that time. A real big one.

In 1992, while he was in graduation only he formed Mathematics Club for knowledge sharing and teaching with name ‘Ramanujan School of Mathematics’. He was well encouraged by fellow mathematicians and teachers.

The inauguration in 1992 Source: Super30

Why Ramanujan name only for his mathematics club?

He has been always fascinated with number theory and same was also obsession of his icon Ramanujan, the famous Mathematician. This was the reason he went on with name of one of great mind of mathematics for his mathematics club.

It was a free program, which anybody with interest in Mathematics could join. As months rolled by, Anand contributed several problems and papers on Mathematics to various national and international journals, magazines and newspapers.

Times of India 1994

Call from Cambridge

After his article got publishes, he started receiving offer from different foreign university for pursuing research there. Few to name were University of Cambridge, University of Hull school of Mathematics, University of Kent. Seeing his extraordinary talent and passion for mathematics, his guru Mr. D.P. Verma asked him to join Cambridge for his post-graduation where he had secured his admission.

So It was all set. A boy from small town was ready to take a big lap. It was like a dream come true. His masters at Cambridge was about to start on 1st October 1994. He needed INR 6 lakhs ($8400) to meet the expenses and study.

For this, he met ministers of Bihar and also an article in his support was published by popular newspaper daily, Times of India and Hindustan Times. His father had got little monetary support from his office department but still it was a long way to go.

On the fateful night of 23rd August 1994, it was pouring heavily, the slum area that he used to lived in was waterlogged. suddenly Anand’s father got a heart attack and he passed away, sitting in front of him.

Unable to sense that his father has actually passed away, he ran towards the home of a compounder and brought him home. People reach out to compounder first as availability of doctor was not there in remote areas. He on examining pulse knew that his father has gone but how can he tell to a young son sitting in front of him expecting to see his father alive.

He suggested him to be taken to PMCH( Patna Medical College and Hospital ), in the town. On reaching PMCH ,the doctors confirmed that his father had died hours back. World came to shattered for Anand kumar. What an irony of life, it hit him in the time when it can hurt him the most.

What next !!

Few hour earlier, where the planning was going on that how to go to London and now they are planning preparation of funeral at home. After that he was having option to go for compensatory job but that was not his future he knew that.

If not job then how to meet house hold expense? His mother took the charge knowing interest of his son and suggested them to continue study and teaching. She used to prepare “Papad” (an Indian snack) and then both the brothers in evening used to go in the city to sell those.

From Cambridge scholar to Papad wala !!

Beginning of Ramanujan School of Mathematics

With suggestion of his brother, to turn his love for mathematics into profession, he started giving tuition and started teaching mathematics to kids. Journey begins with enrollment of two students without charging any fee. By 1997, Anand became famous for teaching Mathematics, an article was also published in one of the newspaper in June and its tag line was Bina Rupaiya ka Hisaab’. (Math without any money).

After that a lot of student started coming for study and they started feeling of have infrastructure upgrade to accommodate then and availing basic amenities. Considering this they started charging INR 500($7) to every student. To accommodate more students, Anand renovated his home, added two extra floors to it and repaired some of the basic facilities. One-year mathematics coaching in INR 500 fair deal that was. By the third year, the institute had enrolled almost 500 students.

Birth of Super 30

Things were going in the flow and Anand kumar was destined to be another well established mathematician running a big coaching centre in Patna but perhaps destiny had some other plan for him. He was not born to be just another teacher running and earning from coaching institutions. He always had a bigger picture regarding education system and its impact on common masses.

The turning point in Anand’s life came in early 2000, a boy who scripted the concept of Super 30 in his mind. Which later become one of the most innovative school of the world. One day he met a student , who approached him seeking coaching for IIT-JEE, an entrance examination for admission to premier institute Indian Institute of Technology. But he was unable to pay the fees. Instead he promised to pay him back whenever his farmer father would dig out potatoes. At that time institution fee was INR 1,500($21) annually.

This reminded him of his own days. The struggle and how being deprived of money made him deprived of education that he wanted to have.

There the idea of Super 30 first flourished in his mind, selecting 30 of the most deserving and poor students, who were denied opportunities and training them for IIT-JEE entrance.

Anand generated finances by his other tuitions and his mother Jayanti Devi used to cook food for the 30 students. Anand took care of everything for these students ,tutored them, fed them and made them to work hard.

In his words

“They eat, bath, drink, play IIT-JEE, that’s why they are here”

Super 30 milestones

Their hard work gave result and when the results were announced, 18 out of 30 students had make their way to the IIT in 2003. This was the result of inaugural batch. 60% success rate in the examination where only 0.92% of the total students who appear, are able to secure admission.

Just a normal day in classroom

On being asked about teaching methodology, Anand says,

“I focus on three factors. First, My students have junoon (passion), a fire in them to achieve. Two, our teaching approach is different. I use multimedia slides to make a little story with characters to explain math concepts. Three, we take tests every day. Well, in a nutshell, we teach our students the how and why! That’s all.”

Here is year wise result of Super 30 batch since inception. For the first time in 2008, 30 out of 30 student get qualified for IIT-JEE examination.

Source: deprecatedpost

Selection into prestigious IIT is indeed a big achievement. Not only It provide quality education, positive ecosystem but also it is instrumental in securing a reputed job with comparatively much higher starting salary package. As per the study on different degree in India and salary earned accordingly, IITs are well above.

Challenges and Controversies with Super 30

Its not that Anand kumar’s institution is only achieving success when comes to IIT-JEE result. There are many institution that gives much better result and high ranker also but time remember and applaud trendsetter.

After two year of consecutive success of Super 30 result, Anand kumar popularity was oh high in Patna and around. A teacher who teaches 30 students and 22 of them made to IIT. This worked in either way for Anand Kumar.

  • Students and parents were building trust on his name, year after year. If you are with Anand sir then there is maximum chances that you are through IIT-JEE, was becoming a common thought among students. A symbol of trust and excellence, Anand Sir.
  • At the same time this status rise was not so good for other peer tuition big brands, in already highly competitive tuition environment there at Patna. Anand kumar, because of super 30 brand was becoming synonym of success gradually. A ticket to JEE. Anand kumar was drawing a large chunk of student every year on his name only. Earlier where everyone was getting something in their pocket now because of the rise of Super 30, other coaching centers started feeling insecure. It is worth to mention that coaching tutors are among highest paying jobs in India. Its a big business.

He started getting threat. Even goons went for a murderous attack on Kumar, which he luckily escaped, his staff were beaten and some more attempts were done to abort the Super 30 program.

A teacher who is having security guard with him. What an irony of State !!

In 2016, Penguin publishes a book on Anand Kumar, which was written by Canada-based psychiatrist Biju Mathew. This book touches various aspects, struggle and ladder to success in Anand kumar. Simple yet inspiration, This book is available online and you can get book from here . It’s a worth reading.

Being a public figure is always challenging in India and around the world. You have to face controversies and questions always. Especially in the current situation, when Bollywood is making movie on his journey it becomes an obvious matter of publicity.

With the time Anand kumar has not only established him self as an icon for millions of students but also he has given wings to the thousands of deprived family by bringing them upfront through education. He has proved his wording that

Education is the most powerful weapon to tackle most of the world’s problems”

Still a long way to go for sure.

Originally published at www.deprecatedpost.in on july, 2018.

Brajesh Kumar

Written by

Blogger | Engineer and Mentor | Learning with Life @kumarBrajesh007

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