Tea seller’s son secures spot at IIT Bombay – Times of India

ROHTAK: In an awe-inspiring achievement; Himanshu Hooda, a 23-year-old son of a humble tea seller, realized his lifelong dream of gaining admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Himanshu’s remarkable feat came to light after he cracked the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) competition exam, with the results recently announced. Securing an All India Rank of 205, he received offers from both IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore for his M.Tech program.
Having completed his Bachelor of Technology from YMCA Faridabad in 2022, Himanshu simultaneously contributed to his family’s tea kiosk business, which his father, Om Prakash Hooda, runs on the Rohtak-Sonipat road in Sector-3. Despite the challenges, Himanshu’s academic journey has been marked by excellence. During his senior secondary schooling at Mahendra Model School, he obtained a remarkable 90% in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Himanshu also attempted the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) advanced after his 10+2 to secure a place in an IIT but was unsuccessful.
Reflecting on his journey, Himanshu humbly stated, “I never shied away from lending a hand, even during my school & college days whenever I was in town with my parents. When the GATE result was announced, I was serving tea to customers at our kiosk.” His mechanical engineering background has further fueled his determination to succeed.
Om Prakash, Himanshu’s proud father, shared the challenges he faced since migrating from Mungan village in the district to Rohtak in 1990.
“I lived on rent in a housing board colony so that at least my next generation could achieve big and lead a good life,” he explained. Despite incurring a loan of 15 lakhs to support his son’s education, Prakash said that he does not perceive it as a burden, as Himanshu has now fulfilled his lifelong dream.
“During his preparation, he even scribbled IIT Bombay on the house walls to perpetuate in his mind how much IIT Mumbai matters to him”, Prakash added.