Humans of Bombay

“I grew up in a middle class home in Dadar, Mumbai. My father had no degree – just a small furniture business in a 4x4 shop and a big dream: that all three of his children would earn master’s degrees. He worked from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week so that we could get a proper education. But things didn’t go as planned.
I failed to crack IIT. In engineering college, when everyone around me was celebrating campus placements, I didn’t get a single offer. For the first time, I felt like I had let my family down.
Still, my parents took a ₹40 lakh loan and sent me to the U.S. for my master’s. I landed there with low confidence, average grades, and barely any technical skills. My first semester GPA was poor and I struggled throughout. I still remember sitting after an exam when a few classmates were predicting who would get jobs. When it came to me, someone said, ‘Honestly, you won’t get one – your grades are low and you don’t have the skills.’ I was shattered. With 90 days left on my visa and no job in hand, I hit rock bottom. I studied 14 hours a day. Applied everywhere. Faced rejection after rejection. There were days I felt completely worthless – but I kept telling myself, ‘One more try.’ On Day 71 of my job search, I flew to New York for a four-round interview. Two days later, I got the offer. Today, I’m a manager at PayPal and I’ve paid off my entire loan. And the most surreal moment? Flying my parents to the U.S. and welcoming them into my own home. I still remember my mom’s eyes filling up as she said, ‘We’re so proud of you, beta.’ And now, I help aspiring students get into global colleges and build a life abroad – because success feels even better when you pass it on.”