By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: One of the most famous couplets of Allama Iqbal reads, “Khudi Ko Kar Buland Itna Ke Har Taqdeer Se Pehle//Khuda Bande Se Khud Puche, Bata Teri Raza Kya Hai (Develop the self so that before every decree//God will ascertain from you: ‘What is your wish?)”
19 year old Javed Akhtar is a fine example of a brilliant boy, who did not let poverty become a hurdle in his aspirations to become an engineer. In fact it appears as if the stars colluded to make each turn in Javed’s life smoother than before.
Javed Akhtar
Although finance still remains a major concern for Javed, who is due to start his second semester of B.Tech. at the Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur, first the missionary school where he studied as a sponsored student, Rehmani 30 and other coaching institute proved critical in mission.
Javed’s father is a hawker, who sells boiled eggs and omelettes on a street in Patna. Javed has two more brothers and a sister. Elder brother had to leave his study midway and is now working as a receptionist at the missionary Kurji Holy Family Hospital in Patna. Younger brother and sister are studying in government schools in class XII and X, respectively.
As a bright young student, Javed studied at the Loyala High School Montfort Literacy Centre till class V. He says that at this point it had become so difficult for him to study that he was on the verge of leaving education to learn embroidery to support income.
With tearful eyes, Javed says that if it was not for the former Principal (Late) Brother Anthony of Loyala High School, who liked him a lot, he could have left studies long ago. Brother Anthony helped him get sponsorship to study at Loyala High School. Javed is also indebted to present Principal Brother TK James and English teacher Mr Jojo PK.
Javed Akhtar with his parents
While he was still in class VIII, he decided to do engineering. As he learnt about IITs, he aspired to study in one of those esteemed institutions. By the time he reached class X, he discovered about Super30 and Rahmani 30 free coaching for poor meritorious students.
With resolve to study at IIT, Javed appeared for the entrance test of Rehmani30 free coaching after class X and luckily cleared the test. “In two years at Rahmani 30, I got to learn quite a lot, particularly the fundamentals,” he tells TCN.
Young Javed says that he is really indebted to Maulana Wali Rahmani and DGP Abhayanad, who is the mentor of Rahmani30.
He, however, could not clear the IIT entrance examinations in his first attempt in 2012. Javed says that so many people had pinned hopes on him and he got worried that if he fails, all the expectations of the family would be ruined. Under extreme pressure, Javed lost his mental balance during the examinations and could not give his best.
Shattered, it took some time for him to recover. He, however, did not lose hopes and took coaching at Vision Classes, in which too he got scholarship due to his performance. Next year Javed cleared the IIT entrance examinations, and took admission at the prestigious IIT-Kanpur under OBC category.
Javed Akhtar with his father and eldest brother Jahangir
It was like Eid for the family when they got to know that Javed has cleared result. His father Khurshid Alam says, “I am a poor man and it is difficult for me to manage even the family regular chores. My son was good at studies and hence his teachers helped him a lot.” He is particularly grateful to Rahmani30 for providing his son free facilities.
Considering his economic conditions and his brilliant performance, Javed has now also got INSPIRE fellowship from second semester onwards, which will help him partially support the high tuition fees of the IIT. However, he is still in need of some financial support to help him complete four years at the IIT.
“I do not really know what will happen after four years, at the moment my main priority is to complete my BTech,” says Javed, for whom managing semester fees and other monthly expenses is not easy.