I’ve never had so many wishes on any of my birthdays before ( I was born on August 4th). Thanks to everyone who remembered and wished me, special thanks to social media sites like facebook, orkut, etc. for making my friends remember it. Usually it is a good checkpoint for me to look back at the events which happened in my life and decide where I’m heading.
Almighty has given me the best opportunities in the world that most of us can rarely imagine. My parents have been amazingly supportive since the beginning. Dad has been living abroad since my young age thus mom was always the one who took care of me and my siblings, rather all house hold. She always protected me from everyone’s eyes and always understood my feelings. A wonderful creature, I am truly thankful to Almighty for such a wonderful gift. The whole credit goes to her for what I am now. Dad has always been a sea of inspiration and guidance to me. He is the most intelligent and dedicated man I have ever seen in my life. Today, if I work over 16 hrs a day, it’s because he made me ambitious with his lengthy (over 20 pages) hand written mails till I finished my M.Tech and few during PhD too. I need a book to write about them and you need a month to read it. So I will postpone it till I go to Harvard :D.
Instead of going into details I will try to sketch the events that have had a significant impact on my life. One more thing to add, its not a self promotional post or a self created profile. I wrote it to give a message at the end and hope that is what matters more. I want my reader to understand the transformation of life from a confused to a more focused stage in life.
- 1992–> Moved to a boarding school at the age of 12
- 1995–> Finished 10th and joined +2 in a Govt. college (one of the big mistakes in life)
- 1997–> Finished +2, lucky to finish an exam called instant and joined engineering on a payment seat. I was trying hard to convince dad to allow me to take entrance exam again and get an open seat. But he forced me to go ahead and not to waste a year. Later I realized that was the best decision.
- 2001–> Finished Engineering and joined M.Tech. I did engineering in the same city as where my parents live. When friends started leaving my heart and eyes were filled with tears and I was saying I wish Allah would have allowed me to stay with them forever. Later on, I realized it was truly emotional and things changed within months. I moved to Karnataka for M.Tech. My first long journey started here over 400 KM away from my home. A good decision was to avoid all mistakes I did in B.Tech and secure really high marks.
- 2003–> Did internship at DRDO and finished M.Tech with distinction missed 80% with 1 mark. I started crying when I saw the marks sheets, my Prof. asked me about what happened. I told about the 1 mark. He was shouting at me and told he wished I would have told him that before. I decided to give another fight for that 1 mark.
- 2003–> In the mid of 2003 I finished M.Tech and then instead of sitting at home or searching for job I joined a top engineering college in Hyderabad as faculty. That is still one of the best colleges in city and in very posh area. This gave me hell lot of confidence, and a good library really added an advantage for giving enough resources to prepare for PhD interviews. During this time I attend two interviews for PhD admission at IISc. I could not make it 🙁 After a failure at IISc, decided to go to all IITs for spring season. Saved all salary for the coming admission season, I had a great passion for PhD and IIT brand. In December I applied for all IITs and BITS Pilani. Dates of interview at various IITs clashed therefore I could not attend all interviews. I got admission letters from IITR and BITS Pilani.
- 2004–>Joined IITR as PhD student. This was one of the best decisions of life and I took it at last moment and rest you can read at “how do you feel to be at IIT” ^O^. I was named by seniors as two and half. As told then that I will finish PhD in two and half years. 😉
- 2005–>Received NDF (National Doctoral Fellowship) given to 50 students all over India for all streams and branches of Engineering and science. This was a great success and boosted confidence. Competition was too high and I struggled a lot that day, will write about that soon 😀
- 2005–>Visited Singapore for an international conference. It was my first visit aboard, and I went on my support.
- 2006–>Finished PhD and was awarded IBM Best PhD Student for 2006 year. The award news was covered in all news papers in India and interestingly the award function was at IISc. I got a chance to sit next to the director and told him that I attended IISc interview twice B-) He told we missed a good student but wished me a wonderful luck ahead.
- 2007–>Samsung Korea summer internship and also worked as Assistant professor at IISc for 6 months around.
- 2008–> Since then working for Samsung electronics in Korea.
- 2009–> 12th March 2009 got the name Inspire n Ignite and started writing after May 2009. I stared writing because of false information on engineering college rankings and misleading content by top magazine and few worst maintained websites in India.
- 2010–> Inspire n Ignite reached 6000 + email readers. I added counter only in August 2009 to check visitors on website. Since August, 24, 2009 till August 4, 2010 Inspire n Ignite have over 600,755 visitors reading over 2,404,347 and every visitor spending 05:16 minutes on average. This all total to 50062.91 (~ fifty thousand and sixty three hours = 2085.95 full days = 5.71 full years) human hours spend on reading content at Inspire n Ignite. Also, receive over 8,410 comments on all posts and answered over 1000 email questions by readers during last one year. The mission statement of Inspire n Ignite became to reach every engineering student in India knowingly or unknowingly at least once in his/her life time. Immense love from readers and well wishers always helped, supported, encouraged and corrected me. I am really thankful to all of them.
Don’t you think its only Almighty that made an unbelievable target possible? Everything right from search engine to readers and well wishers are favoring the blog. My beloved readers corrected me and gave their valuable inputs for improving content and make it useful for all engineering students.
The bottom line about the post is, “Rome is not built in a day”. For achieving great things in life one need to be patient, work consistently towards ones goals without being distracted. When I finished B.Tech, I was frustrated as I was not able to do anything and everything looked blank. Wanted to help many people but don’t know how and was thinking, is it even possible for me? But with time and experience you will get know how you can reach your dream. If your dream is to make money you will do it, and if your dream is to help other selflessly you will find a way even from your busiest days. I have a full time job at Samsung Electronics in Korea and work around 12 hrs a day, which is very normal here. I maintain and write for Inspire n Ignite at least 3 hrs a day. Will write about it soon and hope you will enjoy reading that. (looool one more blog post 😉 )
In plans ahead, I am looking for marriage, MBA from top Business School, Small animation start-up, writing few books and some research on a corruption free system and its implementation for developing nations. And of course, the goal of helping the biggest student community of planet with right information will be among top priorities.
I will end this long post with a famous quote from Alchemist, that always inspired me a lot and made be believe in it.
“When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true”. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho).
Sir,
i have been following your post for last 5 -6 months and it has become a habit to come back to inspire n ignite whenever i’m struck with doubt and loose confidence. Today is the first time i’m reading this particular post, and i understand that its the very middle class nature of your background and the soaring heights you have achieved that makes your articles so embraceable. Thanks a lot. I too love that quotation from alchemist.
Expecting your article on MTech in new IITs or old NITs soon
Cheers.
hi,
Happy birthday to you…
I have talked to once.. I am a student of B.Tech CSE IIT Ropar looking for a good internship opporunity this summer. I have got a CGPA of 8.13. Can you help me out??
Moreover, I have one more query..Whether internship at DRDO is of some worth….
i feel much thankful abut my senior who giv me informaion abt u….
aap jio karoro saal… its wish of all student those need u so much….
belated happy bdy!!
sir hats off to u………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
u r an immense source of inspiration for me, yesterday i was wondering here and there to know something in detail about GATE EXAM, and i consider myself lucky; that i found this website.
sir u r doing an awesome work.
regards……..
Dear sir, belated happy birthday…!!!!!!
Really ur life journey is very interesting
Dear
Belated Happy Birthday, Thanks for the wonderful information which could help many students and parents.
Please keep write.
Regards
Nisha
hello sir,
Belated happy b’day.Giving your best everytime,be it anything..this is what i learnt from you.thanks.You dont know how much this post of urs has helped me in one of my most important life’s dcision.Thank you so much.
Your acheivements are just going to make my decision more and more firm,.
Thanks.
Belated Happy Birthday sir, am really happy to read ur entire journey..n ur success
hello sir., belated happy birthday…!
really sir.., your journey is really really intresting.., u r a really an inspiration and idol.., sir., am pursueing my b.tech., and preparing for gate.., sir., i only need admission in iit., any iit will do for me.., please wish a good luck for me sir., and need ur prayers and wishes.. thank u sir for ur encouragement.. please keep writing for student like us..!
happy returns to u sir , i wish to see a person like u in all students through there sincere efforts……………….thank u for being by our side and helping us in getting our problems solved…………
Many more happy returns of the day.tanx for starting a blog for students .
belated happy b’day sir, your blog is really inspiring.
belated happy b’day brother. I m doing M.Tech/Thermal engg at THAPAR UNIVERSITY PATIALA. I am subscriber of ur community since last 6 months. I very much admire with ur entire journey of life as my dream is also of doing Phd from IIT. so suggest me a right path so dat i will achieve my target.
Puttina Roju Subhakankshalu bro…
Belated happy birthday Sir.
Sir, I have completed my B.tech biotech and want to appaer for gate exam
On all the forums very little information is there about the coaching centers and books which are good for biotechnology.
Kindly provide me with the information
belated happy birthday sir… many many happy return of d day..
BELATED BDAY WISHES!
sir,
god bless u
with my heart n soul i wish u best of luck for ur great future.
ur articles r really inspiring for all of us
please keep writing 🙂
many many happy returns of the day zahid sir.
bayyaa….many many happy returns f the day….
gr8 to read ur history,….tanx for starting a blog for students with such a helpin mentality..may Allah bless u…u surely hve to write a book…not one …many…all the best…
belated happy birthday sir
Happy to read about your success! Thanks for inspiration! Has there been a site like this in 2004 I’d have chosen best college for my rank in AIEEE entrance…which has become a game for students now! Anyway, thanks for ranking M.Tech colleges & so much info about M.Tech. I too wish to be contributing towards public like you! You’re indeed VERY inspiring—working 12 hrs a day & still 3 hrs for student community is GREAT!
belated hppy b’day Sir.It’s really very intresting and encouraging blog. I wish you all d very best for your future plans,which i knw u will surely get done,and thanks alot for so much important informations.
Belated wishes to u Sir….Many more happy returns of the day…
Dear sir
Belated Happy Birthday May Allah Bless You for ur kind act of helping the student tru u r blogs Best of Luck
Belated a many more happy returns of the day sir.Ur really amazing person sir hope u will be like this only forevr and ever. All our wishs and support always with u sir and we wish all ur dreams come true
hi sir, belated happy birthday sir…n i’m so happy to know ur story…. i wish u all success.
Happy Birthday 🙂
Belated Happy Birthday Sir..!
b-latd ha-P b’day sir……ur achievements r so inspirin……
have a nice day.
Belated Happy Birthday sir, may your wish of joining Harvard be fullfilled.
belated happy birthday sir….m really happy to read ur entire journey..n ur success
you are a great inspiration. Wish you a Happy Belated Birthday
Have a nice day
Thanks !
Happy belated bday sir!!! It is really great to hear about your entire journey… hope you keep inspring us in the same manner… Best wishes for future###
Happy Bday Sir, and all the very best for ur future plans. I m sure as Almighty hv taken care of urs ..He will b also there in ur future.You hv been a gr8 inspiration for an M Tech aspirants..
belated happy birthday sir.i never believe that lot of famous people are born in month of august.but this time i believe this.