Slum Dweller son of Vegetable Vendor Will become engineer

The longer the struggle, the more glorious is the success, so never turn away from the struggle in life and face it firmly.

The longer the struggle, the more glorious is the success, so never turn away from the struggle in life and face it firmly.  This was the success mantra given by renowned poet Kumar Vishwas to the students in Kota recently.  After this, another ‘Vishwas’ from Kota has emerged as an inspiration for the students.

Talented student Vishal Vishwas of an impoverished family did not shy away from struggles and finally defeated the odds and proved himself.  During the rains, the tin-shade roof of the house would fly away in strong winds.  The year was bad in Covid-19 as he lacked the resources for online studies.  For the education of their children, the poor parents earned every penny. Class Eight pass father roams from street to street and sells vegetables on a handcart. The illiterate mother worked as a domestic help for running the poor family. There is no TV in the name of convenience in the house. This is the story of struggles of one Vishal Vishwas living in a slum of Ganeshpura talab locality in Kota.  Vishal has secured the category rank 5677 in JEE-Main by studying at ALLEN, on the basis of which he has got admission in chemical engineering branch in NIT Surat.  Similarly, sister Varsha studied with patience and got good marks in NEET-UG 2022.  She wants to study BDS.  Younger brother Bipin is also studying in class 12th and has passed class 10th with 93 percent marks.

Father Buddhi Vishwas sells vegetables on a handcart, whose day starts at 3 in the morning.  Mother Shefali cleans utensils at the homes of others.  Despite adversaries, parents taught the son.  The son lived up to the expectations, worked hard and got the support of Allen Career Institute to crack JEE Main. He is now going to become an engineer.  Similarly elder daughter Varsha proved herself through self-study and is now preparing for admission in BDS.

It would not have been possible without Kota

Father Buddhi Vishwas said that all this has been possible because of Kota.  Here, children got the educational environment. Son Vishal was also inspired by the students around him becoming doctors and engineers.  This was the reason that these children also dreamed of becoming engineer and doctor and got good environs at Allen.  Now both are moving towards success.  Kota is fulfilling the dreams of lakhs of students.

Students in the street here

Vishal told that whenever I heard and read about Kota, there was always talk of students preparing for medical and engineering entrance exams.  Students were seen in the streets here which became my inspiration.  I had thought then that I would study hard.  After this, I was very much inspired by the movie 3 Idiots and decided to become an engineer.  I told this to my parents too.  Parents fully supported me and asked me to focus on studies and they will take care of everything else . Papa goes to the big vegetable market at three o’clock in the morning and brings vegetables.  Then place vegetables on the handcart and sells them by hawking them in the residential colonies.  He earns Rs 300-400 a day.  Mummy goes to three houses to wash the dishes and wipe the broom.

When father’s shoulder got dislocated

Vishal told that while selling vegetables on the handcart, father was hit from behind by the motorcyclist.  This hurt his shoulder.  Due to the shoulder dislocation, father could not sell vegetables on the cart for several months.  During this period, it became more difficult to run the house.  He had to stay at home for about 4 months. Then Mother ran the house.  After a few months, when I started working, my mother used to accompany me.  Father used to make calls in the colonies for selling vegetables and mother would drive the handcart.  After that, he could continue with the work of selling vegetables.

Gas found in Ujjwala Yojana

Vishal told that first food was cooked on the stove in the house, then Ujjwala scheme came. They applied for LPG connection in the scheme and through this the gas stove came into the house.  Now gas is available at a discounted rate but still the family makes an effort to save every penny.  For this, food is cooked on the stove for several days in a month.  Gas is used for 10-15 days, so that it does not cost much.

Study in government school

Passed 10th class from Vishal Government School with 73 percent and 12th class with 78 percent marks.  In the year 2020-21, Vishal could not study for the whole year due to Covid.  Vishal prepared for JEE from Allen Career Institute in 2021-22 when the conditions returned to normal.  He has secured category rank 5677.

Allen support to elder sister

Vishal’s elder sister Varsha is preparing for the medical entrance exam.  She had also taken admission in Allen in 2017-18, Allen encouraged her by giving concession in the fee.  Good marks also came but due to adverse family circumstances she could not progress.  After this Allen continued her studies from the study material itself and this year on the basis of category rank, admission in BDS is expected.

Kutcha house over the drain

In Basant Vihar, there is a slum over the drain made for the drainage of dirty water where there are about 200 houses.  Out of these, one half-pucca house is of Vishal.  He lives here with his parents and two siblings.  The economic condition is quite deplorable and the family comes under BPL category.  There are broken doors which fall when strong wind blows.  If the tin-shade roof drips in the rain, then the biggest challenge is to save the books.  Father Buddhi Prakash stated that ‘there are only books in the house in the name of luxury’.  Most of the house is dark but the small room outside has a zero watt bulb in which all three brothers and sisters study.  All three children’s books are kept neatly in a wooden cupboard.

True success

Naveen Maheshwari, Director, Allen said that this is the real success for us.  Allen is always ready to encourage such children studying in adversity.  Under Allen Gudri ka Lal Scholarship, Vishal will be given a monthly scholarship during his graduation for the next four years.

Note: This article is written by Brand Desk.