Notes

My biggest failure is not clearing the Indian Institute of Technology - Join Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) conducted for admission into their undergraduate programme. Considered as a prodigy within the confines of our small town, I was constantly fostered with the idea of clearing JEE. All the deeds of my parents right through my middle school were in contingent of achieving this goal giving me access to the best of the resources. Growing up in a culture where being a geek is worshipped, tag of an IITian is reckoned as an ultimate prize for anyone interested in the STEM field across the length and breadth of the country.

Considered as one of the toughest exams in the world, IIT JEE garners more than 1.2 million test takers competing for a mere 5000 seats in total. Aspiring to be one among them, began my journey towards the preparation. Exceptionally low acceptance rate meant putting in 14 study hours a day and 6-hour mock test a week, for 2 years straight. Eventually, post taking the test, I was ranked 6972 missing the admission by a small but significant margin. Having worked so hard and giving up all outside class activities for the whole length of the journey, it was a tough result to endure. Missing by the thinnest of margins added to the misery and was devastated that the hard work and effort gone to waste.

Despite the shortcomings and struggles to come to terms with what happened, the sheer magnitude of the failure made me more resilient and determined individual laying foundation for the successful entrepreneurial journey that followed. The strong academic foundation is what enabled the critical thinking that I could carry into my professional setting proving that the hard work pays off eventually. Realizing the positive impacts of the 2-year hardship endured, I understood that attaining the goal is just a consolation and the journey is what teaches the lessons. These experiences are what made me understand a saying in Holy book of Bhagavad Gita “Abandon all attachment to the result of action and attain supreme peace” in its true essence. Having failed although I am conscious of giving my absolute best, I became aware that no action should not be undertaken fearing of failure. This attitude towards a problem helped me to take up new challenges in life that I have no business of accomplishing and exceeded expectations more often than not. Co-founding a start-up fresh out of graduation is one prime example. I may not have the tag of an IITian but I was fortunate to have something even more valuable, the lessons I learned along the way enabled by the failures.