The real hero of Bollywood’s much talked about biopic “Super 30”, Ace Mathematician Prof Anand Kumar visited LPU campus where he interacted with thousands of LPU students. Prof Anand’s character has been enacted by none other than Bollywood’s top actor Hrithik Roshan, for which Hrithik is earning eclectic acclamations. The occasion was an educational programme ‘Shiksha’ organized by LPU students’ organization ‘Sankalp Enviro’, which aims to educate poor and slum-dwellers in nearby villages. While interacting with LPU students, Anand Kumar forwarded them many success-oriented key-liners to adopt in life. Talking about his poverty-ridden student life and various humane endeavours in spite of that, Anand shared many strength-providing and morale-boosting stories of his parents and younger brother in initial stages, and those of his students in later stages.
In spite of poor conditions at home, Anand has been running an innovative ‘Super 30’ programme for the last 18 years to mentor 30 students free of cost through year-long residential coaching for IIT JEE- the entrance examination for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The success rate has been outstanding, with students from underprivileged sections entering the premiere international institutions and companies. Here, he quoted the examples of auto-rickshaw driver’s daughter Nidhi Jha, slum-dwellers Abhishek Raj, Shashi Narayan and more. A teacher in the true sense of the words, Anand holds that an educated world would be much better placed due to greater understanding and compassion. Humbly, Anand shared: “Through Super 30, I have experienced how the smile of success on the faces of the learners brings cheers to both family and the community.” A top educational program in India, ‘Super 30’ was started in Patna (Bihar State) under the banner of Ramanujan School of Mathematics.
As LPU Management, Anand Kumar also thinks ‘to give back to society, and there can be no gift more precious than education’. He exhorted all teachers, parents and people to help education become the strongest weapon to fight all problems of the world, including corruption, poverty, unemployment, terrorism. Forwarding key-liners as crux from his life experiences, he asked students: “Dream big, think big, work hard and reach to innovation level. Always be in good company as it influences much to do the best in life. Everyone faces challenges, only will-power over-powers these.” He also advised students to read subjects by seeking answers to all ‘how’ and ‘why’ pertaining to these. Believing firmly in youth power, he invoked LPU students to always have patience and be strong change-makers in society. He informed students how he declined many times coveted offers to have donations for his school and to contest elections on symbols of reputed political parties.
Recognized as ancient India’s mythical and top Guru Dronacharya, Anand shared his father’s words with students: “Raja ka beta hi Raja kyu banega; Ab Raja woh banega, jo haqdaar hoga“. This version changed his mind and he persevered to do a lot for the entire society. His true calling from within and passion of a true teacher caught up with him, and he realized that he must use his skills to give lesser privileged, bright students, a fair chance at life. He also shared stories of his father being in humble postal service, his mother making “Papads” for livelihood, and his younger brother saving him from many evil designs of the oppressors. On this occasion, Executive Director Manish Gautam of ALS Chandigarh was accompanying Prof Anand. ALS has provided scholarship to 300 LPU students for Civil Services (IAS) exams coaching.
