Born 2 minutes apart, Odisha twins now heading to IIT

Bhubaneswar: For most students, securing admission to an IIT is the culmination of years of hard work and determination. But for twin brothers Mahroof and Masroor Ahmed Khan, the journey is more than academic success. It is also about sacrifice, love and staying together.

Mahroof and Masroor, aged 18, were born 2 minutes apart. Growing up, they have been inseparable. And now, both will be studying in an IIT. While Mahroof secured AIR 32 in JEE Advanced, Masroor ranked AIR 169.

With his rank, a computer science seat at IIT Mumbai seemed a perfect calling for Mahroof. However, Masroor would not have made it. It seemed that fate had conspired to keep the brothers — who shared classrooms, books and dreams since their pre-school days — separate.

But Mahroof had a different idea. “Since our pre-school days, we have sat together in the same classroom. Our preparation for JEE and IIT was also together. Now that we have cleared JEE Advanced, we cannot think of studying separately in different institutions,” said Mahroof.

Given Masroor’s ranking, the brothers are confident he will get a seat to study computer science at IIT Madras.

“I am hopeful Masroor will get admission there. With my rank, I can easily get the same course at IIT Madras and we can continue studying together,” said Mahroof, playing the perfect elder brother’s role. The twins want to share the same hostel room as well.

Their parents, both doctors, are happy with the decision. “We have never interfered with any of their academic choices. The two had qualified for a space examination in Class IX that was conducted in Kota and stayed there for a few days. They loved the academic atmosphere so much that they decided to move there for their higher studies,” recalled their mother Dr Zeenat Begum.

Zeenat had earlier worked with a health facility of Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited and then took a break to be with her sons in Kota. The boys’ father, Dr Mansoor Ahmad Khan, works at a health centre on the IIT Bhubaneswar campus.

The brothers studied at DAV Public School, Unit-VIII, in Bhubaneswar till Class IX before moving to Kota, Rajasthan, where they completed their Class X and XII from Maa Bharti Senior Secondary School.

Engineering, however, is not their final destination. Both have set their sights on larger goals. “After our BTech, we will prepare for UPSC and management studies,” said Masroor.