3 brothers, one dream: A JEE success story from Bihar's fields to Kota

India Today

21-04-2025

When Sujit Madhav reached his JEE Main Session 2 exam centre in Kota, he was already late. He'd cycled there. But just as he locked his bike and tried to enter, the gates were shut.'I stood there helpless. I had made it this far and still couldn't get in,' Sujit said.He thought everything was over, but it wasn't. Thanks to his 98.555 percentile from Session 1, Sujit has qualified for JEE Advanced 2025. Today, with AIR 22268 and OBC rank 5625, he's gearing up for the next challenge.And it's just one chapter in a journey that began in a tiny village in Sheikhpura, Bihar.MOTHER'S ILLNESS CHANGED EVERYTHINGSujit's father Chunchun Kumar is a farmer and his mother, Kiran Devi, a homemaker. Farming provides only enough food to survive. For everything else, the family does daily-wage work or takes small jobs. Their house is part pucca, part kutcha.Sujit was a meritorious student and his elder brother had convinced their father that he needed to be given a shot. And so, borrowing money from moneylenders, Sujit was sent to study in Kota.In late 2023, after Sujit had joined Allen Career Institute in Kota, his mother suffered a brain haemorrhage. He was very attached to his mother and the incident shook him.He couldn't ficus, but with his Class 12 board exams coming up, his elder brotehr convinced him to return to Kota. He Class 12 with 81%. He'd earlier scored 85% in Class 10. Then came another blow -- his mother was diagnosed with cancer. She's still being treated at AIIMS Patna.WHEN KOTA STEPPED INSujit stayed in a PG in Talwandi where, for nearly two years, he couldn't pay the rent, except for 2-3 times.'The owner said -- 'Study. The day you become an engineer, that will be the rent,'" Sujit recalls fondly.Allen gave him a 70% fee waiver. The rest, he managed in small instalments over two-three years.'Studying in Kota was a dream. I came here with nothing but hope,' Sujit said.THE BROTHER WHO RAN AWAY TO BUILD A PATHThe journey of the three brothers with engineering dreams began with Rajneesh, the eldest. In 2016, when the family said they couldn't afford to send him to Kota, he left anyway -- with just Rs 500 in hand.'I didn't even buy a ticket. Just took the risk and got on the Kota-Patna train,' Rajneesh said. "After coming here, I asked people and reached Allen's Samanvay building."At Allen's Samanvay building, he met two faculty members -- Santosh Sir and RK Khangar Sir -- who arranged for coaching and a hostel after he explained his situation to them. Even the hostel owner didn't take rent.After a few months, their grandfather managed to send some money. In 2019, Rajneesh brought a young Sujit, then in Class 9, to Kota.While Sujit stayed in Kota, Rajneesh sent books and guidance to their middle brother, Mrityunjay, back home.'I saw Sujit solving Class 10 trigonometry when he was in Class 8. I knew we had to find a way for him,' said Rajneesh.That was what made him convonce their father to send Sujit to Kota.MIDDLE BROTHER STUDIES THROUGH POSTRajneesh cleared JEE Main in 2020 but couldn't get a college with his rank, so he took admission in mechanical engineering at Nalanda College of Engineering. Mrityunjay followed in 2022, joining the electrical branch at the same college.Rajneesh had to leave his BTech in Patna midway due to their mother's illness. But he's now back home, teaching Sujit and Mrityunjay.'When Sujit was younger, he'd graze cows and cut grass,' Rajneesh said. 'But he always had a spark. He loved solving maths problems.'STILL FIGHTING, STILL HOPINGSujit's story is far from over. With his mother still battling cancer and the family still depending on borrowed money, the road ahead is not easy.But the foundation is there -- a dream built by three brothers, their sacrifices, and the kindness of a few strangers.Tune In
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