Latest news with #IIT-JAM
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Kedarnath Pony Handler's Son Cracks IIT-JAM, Gets Admission At IIT Madras
Atul Kumar, the son of a pony handler from Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, has cleared the IIT-JAM (Joint Admission Test for Master's) and secured a seat at the prestigious IIT Madras, reports ANI. Atul used to guide ponies and help pilgrims on the steep mountain paths of Kedarnath Dham to support his family. Today, he is set to begin a new chapter at one of India's top engineering institutes. "In the beginning, I didn't even know what IIT was," Atul told ANI. "Growing up, water shortages and lack of awareness kept us from dreaming big. I wasn't interested in engineering until a teacher introduced me to the idea of doing a master's at IIT. That changed everything." Atul worked in Kedarnath during the busy pilgrimage season in June, living in tents without mobile networks. He began preparing for the JAM exam only in July after returning home. His friend Mahavir, who had already prepared for the exam, shared notes and helped him study. From July to January, I studied regularly. The exam was in February, he said. In Kedarnath, Atul helped manage pilgrim travel by arranging ponies, carrying goods, and walking along dangerous routes in difficult weather. Despite the tough conditions, he remained determined. "My biggest motivation was to move ahead in life -- to escape that place and create something better for myself," he said. His father, a pony handler, is the main earner for the family. Atul used to assist him during holidays. His elder sister is married, and his younger sister recently completed her education. Now, with admission secured at IIT Madras, Atul says the response from the community has been overwhelming. "More than my own joy, it was the happiness on others' faces that touched me -- from teachers to people who never even taught me, everyone called to congratulate me," he said. Sharing a message for students from similar backgrounds, Atul said that if his story encourages even a few students to keep going despite hardships, then he has achieved something meaningful.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Dehradun Diary: From Kedarnath mule paths to IIT Madras, Atul's journey is one of grit and goals
Atul Kumar once made a living by transporting pilgrims on mules and horseback along the Kedarnath Dham trails, suppoting his family with the little he earned. Now, Atul head for IIT Madras, having cleared the IIT-Joint Admission Test (JAM) 2025. Son of a horse breeder from a small village in Rudraprayag, Atul says, 'My only goal is to progress and do something better for myself and my family.' He began preparing for the IIT-JAM examination last July after returning from Kedarnath, relying on a friend's shared notes due to limited resources and connectivity in the mountainous region. His dedication led to success in the February examination. Guv intervention sought in alleged poll fraud Petitioner Shakti Singh Bartwal has approached the Raj Bhavan complaining of the Uttarakhand State Election Commission's inaction on voter list irregularities for the upcoming panchayat polls. Bartwal alleges, the SEC defied High Court orders to probe individuals registered in two separate constituencies, in violation of the Uttarakhand Panchayat Raj Act. He accuses the SEC of malicious functioning, favouring certain individuals, despite the specific directions for thorough probe and action. Bartwal urged the Governor to intervene immediately, threatening to file a contempt of court petition if the SEC continues to disregard judicial directives. Dham replica sparks row, priests threaten action The Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat has strongly opposed construction of a symbolic Kedarnath temple in Saifai, Uttar Pradesh, vowing legal action if the plan proceeds. 'Replicating Kedarnath Dham's architecture and sanctum hurts sentiments of millions of Sanatanis,' Suresh Semwal, Mahapanchayat president, said. He highlighted their past opposition to similar moves and cited Uttarakhand's July 2024 resolution against misusing Char Dham names. 'While temple construction is welcome, Char Dhams hold unique, sacred significance for crores of Hindus,' the priests' body statement read. narendra sethi Our correspondent in Uttarakhand narendrasethi@
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Kedarnath horse handler cracks IIT-JAM, set to study master's at IIT Madras
Atul Kumar, who spent his school vacations helping his father carry pilgrims on mules along the steep Kedarnath route, is now headed to IIT Madras. The young man from a village in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district has cracked the IIT-Joint Admission Test for Master's (IIT-JAM) 2025.'I didn't even know about IITs till Class 12,' Atul told ANI. 'But then teachers and friends encouraged me. That's when I learnt I could do a Master's from IIT and started preparing.'advertisementPREPPED AFTER RETURNING FROM KEDARNATHAtul began his preparations last July after returning from Kedarnath where he had worked in June. 'There was no network. We lived in tents, so I couldn't study,' he said. A friend who had earlier prepared for the JAM exam helped him with notes, and Atul studied consistently for about seven months till the February father continues to work as a horse handler and this has been the family's primary source of income. Atul also helped during elder sister is married and the younger one just finished her TO BUILD A BETTER FUTUREFor Atul, the biggest drive was to break out of limitations. 'My only motivation was to move ahead in life,' he said. 'I wanted to create something better for myself.'Now that he's got into one of the country's top institutes, the entire village is celebrating. 'The response has been overwhelming,' he added. 'Even people who never taught me called to congratulate me.'- Ends
News18
3 days ago
- News18
Meet Atul, Who Worked As A Horse-Mule Handler And Cracked IIT Madras Without Coaching
Last Updated: Atul Kumar, a horse handler's son from Uttarakhand, cracked IIT-JAM 2025 with no coaching. Now headed to IIT Madras, his inspiring journey is a triumph of grit and self-belief. Atul Kumar, the son of a horse handler from Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, has made headlines by securing a seat at IIT Madras through the prestigious IIT-Joint Admission Test for Master's (JAM) 2025. Once a young man who ferried pilgrims on horseback along the steep trails of Kedarnath Dham to support his family, Atul's journey from the Himalayan slopes to one of India's top institutes is nothing short of extraordinary. Atul comes from a modest background in a remote village where educational resources are scarce, and awareness about competitive exams is minimal. Despite these limitations, his resolve to create a better life for himself and his family pushed him to dream big. Sharing his journey, Atul said his only motivation was 'to move ahead in life and do something better" for himself and his family. 'I am from a small village in Rudraprayag… I did not know much till the 12th standard. There is not much awareness in hilly areas. I did not know that something like IITs even exists," Kumar told ANI. Support, Self-Study And An Unshakeable Will After completing his 12th grade, Atul did not take any entrance exams, primarily due to a lack of guidance and exposure. However, his path took a turn when he learned from teachers that he could still pursue a Master's degree from the IITs. Their encouragement became the turning point in his life. 'I did not take the entrance exam after completing the 12th grade. But then I got to know through teachers that I could pursue a Master's degree from IIT. My teachers and friends supported me and motivated me a lot," he added. Atul's preparation journey was as challenging as his life in the mountains. He started studying for the IIT-JAM exam in July 2024, right after returning from Kedarnath, where he had spent June helping his family earn a living by guiding pilgrims on horses and mules. The conditions were tough — there was no internet, and they lived in tents, making it nearly impossible to study during the pilgrimage season. 'I began studying in July. I had just returned from Kedarnath, where I was working in June–there was no network, and we lived in tents, so studying was not possible. My friend Mahavir, who had previously prepared, helped me a lot by sharing his notes. I studied consistently till January, and the exam was in February," he said. His focus remained unwavering throughout, driven by a deep desire to break free from the limitations of his circumstances. 'My biggest motivation was to move ahead in life to escape that place and create something better for myself," he added. From Local Hero To IITian Atul's father continues to work as a horse handler, and the family relies on this as their primary source of income. Atul often helped his father during holidays, balancing his responsibilities between work and studies. His elder sister is married, and his younger sister has just completed her education. What makes Atul's success even more meaningful is the pride it brought to his community. The overwhelming response and love he received after the results were announced touched him deeply. 'The response has been overwhelming. More than my own joy, it was the happiness on others' faces that touched me, from teachers to people who never even taught me, everyone called to congratulate me. It feels good to bring pride to my community," he added. Atul Kumar's story is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of education to transform lives. From guiding horses on treacherous mountain trails to walking the corridors of IIT Madras, he has shown that no dream is too big if one is willing to work for it. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
4 days ago
- Mint
Inspiring ride! Youth who worked as horse-mule handler in Kedarnath cracks IIT-JAM, to join IIT Madras
Atul Kumar, who carried pilgrims on horses and mules along the steep tracks of Kedarnath Dham to support his family, has cleared the IIT-Joint Admission Test for Master's (JAM) 2025 and got selected for IIT Madras. Kumar, son of a horse handler, narrated his inspiring journey from a small village in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, to the prestigious technology institute. He said his only motivation was to move ahead in life and do something better for himself and his family. 'I am from a small village in Rudraprayag... I did not know much till the 12th standard. There is not much awareness in hilly areas. I did not know that something like IITs even exists,' Kumar told ANI. ' I did not take the entrance exam after completing the 12th grade. But then I got to know through teachers that I could pursue a Master's degree from IIT. My teachers and friends supported me and motivated me a lot,' he added. Talking about his preparation strategy, Kumar said he started preparing for the IIT-JAM exam in July last year, after returning from Kedarnath, and took help from his friend for notes. 'I began studying in July. I had just returned from Kedarnath, where I was working in June--there was no network, and we lived in tents, so studying was not possible. My friend Mahavir, who had previously prepared, helped me a lot by sharing his notes. I studied consistently till January, and the exam was in February,' he said. 'My biggest motivation was to move ahead in life -- to escape that place and create something better for myself.' Kumar further said that his father works as a horse handler and it is the family's main livelihood. During holidays, Kumar used to help him. His elder sister is married, and the younger one has just completed her education. 'The response has been overwhelming. More than my own joy, it was the happiness on others' faces that touched me -- from teachers to people who never even taught me, everyone called to congratulate me. It feels good to bring pride to my community,' he added.
