Member-only story
Self-discovery and growth
About Me — Manoj Samal
A common man’s struggle to find his uniqueness!
The non-members can read the full story for free here.
A little boy lost in the darkness of poverty, inequality, and disharmony. An average man surrounded by the darkness of loneliness, fear, and hopelessness. Will he ever go from darkness to light? That is the story of my life: a common man’s struggle to find his uniqueness.
1. Rustic interiors of Odisha to coveted corridors of IIT, Bombay, India
Around the time Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, as a little boy I was walking home on the dark lanes of my village in Odisha, India.
Our remote village was full of natural beauty but lacked basic amenities such as electricity and tap water supply. My childhood was shaped by the adversity of monsoon floods and cyclonic storms as much as the diversity of colourful festivals and cultural togetherness.
My rustic village life made me love the natural beauty and learn how to face life's challenges courageously.
My humble background made me realise early that education was the only way to rise above my limiting socioeconomic conditions.
