“My son has always studied by his own because I could not afford classes. Now he has made me proud” Says Auto Driver from Thane

Studying in a premier institute like IIT is a dream for many students in India. And 16-year-old Dhananjay Tiwari is one of them. 

Image credit: HT

With the results for JEE Main being declared on Thursday, Dhananjay Tiwari has scored a rank and his father Subhashchandra Tiwari, who is an autorickshaw driver from Thane, couldn’t have been more proud of his son’s achievement.

He bagged an enviable all-India rank of 515 and aspires to study in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. He says joining IIT Bombay is his childhood dream.

“My son has always studied by himself because I could not afford classes. I knew my son will score well but his result has made me extremely proud,” Subhashchandra told Hindustan Times.
The Auto driver, who is a class 12th pass-out, and earns not more than Rs. 10,000 a month, has ensured that his three children are not denied of their basic education. 

A student of Pace Junior Science College, Thane, young Dhananjay relied a lot on his lectures and self-study for preparation. "I was confident about scoring a decent rank and qualifying for JEE (Advanced). I want to get into IIT-Bombay in either mechanical or electrical engineering," says Dhananjay. 

"I will be the first in my extended family to make it to an IIT if I clear JEE (Advanced). I hope to do well in JEE (Advanced) as well." says Dhnanjay

His brother is already pursuing his engineering degree from a college in Navi Mumbai and his younger sister appeared for her SSC exam this year. 

"All my children are good at studies and are independently managing. Dhananjay got a full scholarship from his college and therefore I did not have to worry about his expenses. But I am sceptical about his future. If he qualifies for the IITs, it will be a proud moment for us. But I don't know how long he will be able to continue with his dreams," said Subhashchandra. "I was against the idea of my son preparing for an expensive course." he added

Dhananjay is sure an inspiration to all students belonging to economically backward families. 

The Lantern wishes young Dhananjay Tiwari to clear his JEE Advanced and join IIT Bombay as he wishes.

Shiva Shankar Pandian, Journalist, The Lantern