Anand Kumar to set up Super 30 school to mentor more poor students in Bihar

PATNA: Super 30 founder Anand Kumar, who has been selected for this year's coveted Padma Shri award, would continue to work for the realization of the dream of children belonging to the deprived sections of the society. Rather, he would expand his base by including a greater number of students under his mentorship.The 50-year-old Anand said that he wants to bring the state on the top of the educational map of the country by showing the right path to the younger generation and inspiring them to excel in the academic world. More and more boys and girls of the state should be motivated to join the premier institutions like IITs and IIMs and do the state pround, he said. Excerpts:Q. How did you feel when you were informed of your selection for the Padma Award? I was very much elated on hearing the news. In fact, I had not anticipated this award so soon. I must thank the government for considering me worthy for this prestigious award. I think, my selection for this award would act as a source of inspiration for all those who believe in hard work and sustained efforts. I am all the more delighted now as I have received hundreds of congratulatory messages from my students occupying top positions in different fields all over the world. Q. How do you see your life's journey?As I was born in lower middle class family and my father died early, it was my mother who struggled hard to support the family financially. She started a small papad shop at the house and I used to help her in the evening time, besides continuing my studies with full sincerity. For some time I also accepted a class three job. But my real passion was teaching mathematics to the students. Soon I set up Ramanujan School of Mathematics on a very modest scale to coach and soon more and more students joined this institute as they started qualifying the IIT exam. But, again I realized that many students from poor families were not able to pay the token amount I charged from them.Q. What motivated you to start Super 30?Many students from poor backgrounds approached me with a request for the fee waiver. I realized that they were talented and had an urge to make it to the IIT, but were unable to do so owing to the financial hardship. Then I thought of starting the Super 30 group. In the last two decades of its inception, nearly 600 students have made to the top technical institutes, mostly in IITs. And, most of the successful candidates have been from most underprivileged sections of the society. Q. Did not you get any financial help for meeting the expenses incurred over the coaching of 30 selected students?I must say that a lot of offers were made both from private and government organizations, to support the Super 30 venture financially, but I politely refused them. I earmark a portion of my earning through private tuition for the noble cause and my entire family stands behind me.Q. What about expansion of Super 30 group?The Super 30 group will soon be developed into a full-fledged school. I will strive hard to set up a well-developed residential school where at least 100 children from poor and marginalized sections of the society could be groomed for the IITs. This school would hopefully start functioning within a year. This school will train the students both in offline and online mode. The online version would especially be beneficial for poor students staying with their parents outside the city. Q. Any message for the youth?I would appeal to the youths not to be deterred by physical or financial difficulty, and to accept the challenges boldly. If they pursue their goal with full devotion and sincerity, they would certainly get success.