From fruit chaat seller to assistant professor: Tej Kushwaha's inspiring journey

Time of India

a day ago

Indore: In a testament to perseverance and determination, 31-year-old Tej Prakash Kushwaha, a native of a small village in Rewa district, achieved his dream of becoming an assistant professor in geography.
His name figures among the successful candidates in the recently announced interview results of the MPPSC Assistant Professor Recruitment Exam 2022.
Kushwaha hails from Bausadwa village in Jawa tehsil where his parents are engaged in farming. He completed his early education at a govt school in his village that went up only to Class 5, after which he moved to another town to continue his studies. Despite facing academic setbacks — he once failed Class 8—Tej went on to earn a BA and MA in geography from Allahabad University.
His journey into competitive exams began with the UPSC, for which he prepared while living in Delhi for three years. After multiple attempts, he shifted his focus to the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) and moved to Indore in 2019. Though he cleared the prelims four times and appeared for mains, the interview round remained elusive.
Faced with financial difficulties while preparing, Tej and three friends—Shubham Thakur, Suraj, and Pradeep—started a small venture named PSC Falahaar, selling fruit chaat near Bhola Ram Ustad Marg in Indore.
"Expenses in Indore were rising, so we decided to serve fresh fruits to students and residents for just Rs.20," Tej told TOI.
The group would visit the fruit mandi at 5am, prepare the servings, and take turns running the stall to balance work and studies. While their aim was to make Rs 200 each per day for their expenses, the venture became a success and expanded to multiple locations in Indore, eventually being replicated in 14 other states by students.
In early 2025, Tej and his friends handed over the initiative to another group in need.
Meanwhile, he cleared the UGC-NET and qualified for a Junior Research Fellowship in 2023, which allowed him to pursue a PhD at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya with financial support from the central govt.
Determined to crack the MPPSC interview, he joined a coaching group for mock interviews and personality development. "We critiqued each other's communication and body language, which boosted my confidence," he said.
His interview panel asked questions about his startup, the Rewa region, and Prayagraj—his place of higher education. "For questions I didn't know, I admitted it honestly and promised to learn."
Tej scored 80 in the interview and was selected. "I come from a humble background. My father once worked as a labourer in Pune while my mother managed the farm. Today, I'm happy to make them proud."
Now being in the field of education, Tej aims to attain the top positions. "I want to grow in academia and one day serve as a vice-chancellor," he said.