Inspiring ride! Youth who worked as horse-mule handler in Kedarnath cracks IIT-JAM, to join IIT Madras

Mint

17-07-2025

Atul Kumar, who carried pilgrims on horses and mules along the steep tracks of Kedarnath Dham to support his family, has cleared the IIT-Joint Admission Test for Master's (JAM) 2025 and got selected for IIT Madras.
Kumar, son of a horse handler, narrated his inspiring journey from a small village in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, to the prestigious technology institute.
He said his only motivation was to move ahead in life and do something better for himself and his family.
'I am from a small village in Rudraprayag... I did not know much till the 12th standard. There is not much awareness in hilly areas. I did not know that something like IITs even exists,' Kumar told ANI.
' I did not take the entrance exam after completing the 12th grade. But then I got to know through teachers that I could pursue a Master's degree from IIT. My teachers and friends supported me and motivated me a lot,' he added.
Talking about his preparation strategy, Kumar said he started preparing for the IIT-JAM exam in July last year, after returning from Kedarnath, and took help from his friend for notes.
'I began studying in July. I had just returned from Kedarnath, where I was working in June--there was no network, and we lived in tents, so studying was not possible. My friend Mahavir, who had previously prepared, helped me a lot by sharing his notes. I studied consistently till January, and the exam was in February,' he said.
'My biggest motivation was to move ahead in life -- to escape that place and create something better for myself.'
Kumar further said that his father works as a horse handler and it is the family's main livelihood. During holidays, Kumar used to help him. His elder sister is married, and the younger one has just completed her education.
'The response has been overwhelming. More than my own joy, it was the happiness on others' faces that touched me -- from teachers to people who never even taught me, everyone called to congratulate me. It feels good to bring pride to my community,' he added.