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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Meet ‘Panchayat' star Jitendra Kumar: Left IIT for acting, now charges Rs 70,000 per episode, owns luxury cars and has a net worth of Rs 7 crore
Jitendra Kumar , who is loved for his performance in the OTT series 'Panchayat', has an inspiring story that proves following one's heart truly pays off. Born in a small village in Rajasthan, Jitendra always dreamt big. Even as a child, he loved mimicking stars like Shah Rukh Khan , Nana Patekar, and Amitabh Bachchan . But life initially pushed him on a very different path. Jitendra's father, wanting a secure future for his son, sent him to Kota to prepare for the IIT entrance exams. With hard work and focus, Jitendra cracked the tough JEE exam and secured admission for Civil Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. It seemed like the beginning of a stable, successful engineering career. The IITian who chose acting over engineering During his time at IIT, the 'Kota Factory' actor discovered his real passion—acting. He joined the 'Hindi Technology Dramatic Society' at IIT Kharagpur, where he explored theatre and stage performances. It was here that he met Biswapati Sarkar, who would later become the creative director at TVF. This chance meeting changed the course of Jitendra's life. After graduating, the 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' actor still took up a well-paying job at an MNC, following the usual route for an IITian. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Accounting Automation Software Might Help You To Earn More Accounting Automation Software | Search ads Undo However, it didn't take him long to realise that his true calling lay elsewhere. Despite the security of a high-paying engineering job, he decided to take the risk, quit his corporate life, and fully pursue acting. The show that changed everything Jitendra first gained massive popularity with 'Pitchers'. This series gave him recognition and opened the door to many more opportunities. After that, he was seen in popular shows like 'Kota Factory', where he perfectly portrayed the character of Jeetu Bhaiya, winning hearts all over the country. His biggest success, however, came with 'Panchayat'. This simple yet heartwarming series about rural India struck a chord with audiences. Jitendra's performance as Abhishek Tripathi, the engineering graduate reluctantly working as a panchayat secretary in Phulera, made him a household name. According to reports from Business Standard, Jitendra earned Rs 5.6 lakh for the entire third season of 'Panchayat'. He is the highest-paid actor on the show, taking home Rs 70,000 per episode. His net worth and stunning car collection All of Jitendra's hard work and risks have brought him not just fame but also impressive financial success. As per reports by Zee News and ABP Live, Jitendra Kumar's estimated net worth is around Rs 7 crore. His taste for luxury is clear from his car collection, which is just as dazzling as his career. According to the Financial Express, his garage includes, Mercedes Benz GLS 350D worth Rs 88.18 lakh, a Mercedes Benz E-Class worth Rs 82.10 lakh, Toyota Fortuner worth Rs 48.43 lakh and Mini Countryman worth Rs 42 lakh When you look at Jitendra's journey, it's clear that sometimes taking a risk and following your heart leads to the most rewarding outcome. And today, with his success in shows like 'Panchayat', his rising net worth, luxury cars, and millions of fans, it is evident he made the right choice.
India.com
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet man who studied at IIT, left high-paying job to become actor, one show made him a star, now charges Rs..., he is...
There are many actors and actresses in Indian cinema who studied different courses, starting from engineering to CA, and then ventured into acting. Little did these stars know that either they would become huge stars or life would take them on a different road. Today, we will talk about an actor who qualified for the JEE exams, took admission in IIT, and later quit it to become an actor. This man is not only an IITian but also bagged a high-paying job in an MNC. However, his passion made him do things otherwise. He left his job to become an actor, and he succeeded well. If you are wondering who we are talking about, it is Panchayat 4 fame Jitendra Kumar. Actor Who Left IIT Jitendra comes from a small village in Rajasthan. His big dreams knew that the sky was the limit. In order to pursue his goals, Jitendra did all he could and luck played along. Today, he is one of the most celebrated stars in the industry. When Jitendra was young, he often imitated Shah Rukh Khan, Nana Patekar, and Amitabh Bachchan. Though he had a huge passion for acting, Jitendra's father sent him to Kota to prepare for the IIT entrance exam. With grit and determination, Jitendra passed his JEE exam and got admission in Civil Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. Why Did Jitendra Kumar Leave IIT? It was during his studies that Jitendra realized he had an inclination toward acting. He then participated in theatre. He featured in the 'Hindi Technology Dramatic Society', and there he met TVF's creative director Biswapati Sarkar. Later, he decided to take a break from acting and took a job as an engineer. Despite a high-paying job, Jitendra realized his calling was different and then moved to acting. Jitendra's major breakthrough came when he featured in TVF Pitchers. Since then, he never looked back. Jitendra has been part of several hit shows such as Kota Factory, Panchayat, and more. Recently, he was seen in Panchayat 5. As per reports, he took Rs 6 lakh for a full season.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Youth who sneaked into IIT Bombay went to meet relatives in Surat and returned to campus
A 22-YEAR-OLD youth who 'sneaked into' IIT Bombay and stayed there for 20 days without being a student had left the institute for nearly three days when he went to Surat to meet his relatives before, he returned to the IIT Bombay campus and stayed there for another five days. The police have found that Bilal Ahmed Teli, a Mangalore resident, had done a six-month IT course earlier and has told the police that he wanted an 'IITian' tag on his name due to which he stealthily entered the premises. The Mumbai police are however taking no chances and have transferred the case to the crime branch that is further probing the matter. An official said, 'Ironically after managing to gain entry on May 27, Teli left the premises on June 7 and returned on June 10. Eventually he was seen by an administrator and handed over to the police. He told us that he had some relatives in Surat, and he left to meet them and returned.' The officer added, 'He had come to the institute from Surat having taken a train on May 25. While he got in thanks to a one-day course at the institute for which one could register online, he did not leave.' The official said that while they suspect it is likely a misadventure or overenthusiasm by him, there are some unanswered questions regarding his conduct that they have not got a satisfactory explanation to. 'Why did he come to IIT Bombay when there are other IITs that would be closer to Mangalore? Why was he so keen to ensure he did not leave behind any digital footprint and used 21 e-mail addresses,' the official said. We also found that he had checked all entry-exit gates from the institute. Hence the case was transferred to the crime branch to explore if there was any security issue,' the official said.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Harvard doctor's experiment can boost your happiness in one minute. A startup CEO is already practicing it
Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a Harvard physician, stepped outside the clinic to test if talking to strangers boosts happiness—and science backed her up. Her playful public experiment mirrors IITian entrepreneur Harsh Pokharna's Jaipur meetups, revealing that heartfelt conversations, not just data or design, might be the next big wellness hack in our increasingly disconnected world. Harvard doctor Trisha Pasricha proved that one-minute chats with strangers can boost happiness, echoing a University of Chicago study. In a parallel tale, startup CEO Harsh Pokharna found the same truth during spontaneous meetups in Jaipur, reinforcing that real connection starts offline. (Representational image: iStock) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Startup CEO Who Tried Something Similar Without Meaning To Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads More Than Just Small Talk, A Public Health Tool? It wasn't a research lab or a stethoscope that Harvard doctor Trisha Pasricha turned to recently—it was the simple, brave act of chatting with strangers while waiting in line. A physician, an instructor at Harvard Medical School , and the Ask a Doctor columnist for The Washington Post, Dr. Pasricha tested a charming scientific theory on the bustling platforms of Boston's Green Line: that one-minute conversations with strangers can actually make you happier.'It is scientifically proven that you can boost your happiness in one minute by talking to a stranger,' she began in a video she shared on Instagram, proceeding to engage unsuspecting commuters in playful and warm exchanges. Whether she was joking about being a Celtics fan or asking if someone wanted to be a pediatrician, the result was almost always the same—people smiled, talked, and lingered in conversations they hadn't planned experiment wasn't just a cute social video. It was rooted in evidence. According to, several studies, including one from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business in 2014, showed that people who spoke to strangers during their daily commute felt more positive afterward—even though they originally assumed their fellow travelers wouldn't be interested.'I had a great time,' Dr. Pasricha said, visibly moved by the simplicity of connection. 'Most people were down to just keep talking for minutes and minutes on end.'Interestingly, this scientific truth found a surprising echo in the world of tech entrepreneurship. Harsh Pokharna, the CEO of Bengaluru-based fintech startup OkCredit and an IIT Kanpur alumnus, unintentionally embarked on a social experiment of his own. During a break in his hometown Jaipur, Pokharna posted a casual Instagram story inviting people to hang out. What began as boredom soon turned into an unexpectedly fulfilling journey of human connection From random DMs to heartfelt discussions about therapy, dating, and dreams, Pokharna's days became filled with spontaneous meetups that mirrored the spirit of Pasricha's scientific adventure. 'There were no rules, no agendas—just organic human connection,' Pokharna noted, as he sipped coffee, played badminton, and took walks with strangers who soon felt like old Pasricha and Pokharna's experiences—one rooted in medical science, the other in lived curiosity—prove the same point: in an era dominated by curated lives and digital walls, the art of spontaneous conversation is a quiet rebellion. It's free, it's freeing, and it might just be the one-minute happiness hack we all dare at the end of her video is more than an Instagram caption—'I dare you to try this with a stranger today'—it's an invitation to revive something ancient and humane: unfiltered, real-world connection. For a society struggling with loneliness, digital fatigue, and emotional burnout, it may be time to treat these micro-interactions not as throwaway moments, but as therapeutic the doctor and the startup CEO, from Harvard labs to Jaipur streets, remind us that wellness isn't always found in a prescription bottle or a productivity app. Sometimes, it's waiting in line with a stranger, ready to say hello.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
IITian Gaurav Taneja, himself a pilot, on possible reasons of Ahmedabad Air India plane crash
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads About the Ahmedabad plane crash As the country reels from the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, speculation and grief have swept across social media platforms. With more than 200 lives lost, including passengers and 12 crew members, the tragedy has left a deep scar, drawing reactions from political leaders, film stars, and aviation experts alike. Amid the calls for accountability and answers, one voice that's garnered wide attention is that of IITian and former commercial pilot Gaurav Taneja—best known online as Flying Beast Taneja, who holds a in Civil Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and is a certified pilot with over a decade of flying experience, shared his initial analysis on X (formerly Twitter). He hinted at a catastrophic mechanical failure. According to his tweet, such a steep descent shortly after take-off from a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner could point to a dual engine failure , a scenario he described as 'extremely, extremely, extremely rare.''Nothing short of a complete power loss can force a modern aircraft into that kind of sink rate, right after take off,' wrote Taneja, adding prayers for all on board. His post quickly gained traction, with followers seeking deeper clarity. When asked about the likelihood of such an event, especially on a well-inspected international flight, Taneja explained that if an aircraft loses both engines just after take-off at an altitude of 600 feet with structures ahead, even the most experienced pilot is rendered transitioning into content creation, he served as First Officer in 2011 and was promoted to captain in 2014. Since stepping back from commercial flying in 2020, he has amassed a massive online following, offering insights on to ANI reports, a total of 241 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, have died in the devastating Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad. The sole survivor, a British national of Indian origin, is Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating on the Ahmedabad to London Gatwick route, took off on June 12, 2025, but crashed moments later into a resident doctors' hostel near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Air India confirmed the fatalities in a statement posted on X. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours. A Mayday call was made, but the aircraft lost contact soon after. The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs1 crore for the families of each deceased passenger.
