"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all." — Sam Ewing, author
‘The darkest cloud has the silver lining’ Umar a boy from the Paradise of India Kashmir has seen and gone through a tremendous amount of struggle ever since his childhood. When most of us choose to blame our misfortune or lack of resources someone was working hard to get those resources. Umar scored 601 marks in the NEET examination this year on his very first attempt.
He lives in Zagigam village near Pulwama district with his mother-father, brother and sister. While sharing his story Umar told us that he was the youngest among 3 siblings yet a load of responsibilities like earning bread for the family was never less for him. From class 3rd he started helping his father and elder brother by working as a labourer. He was enrolled in a government school where he didn't go daily.
Sharing his routine, he mentioned that he used to work from 9 am to 6 pm and then he would study from 7 pm to 12 midnight. After only sleeping for three hours, he would wake up again at 3 in the morning to continue studying. From 3 am to 8 am, he would engage in his studies before heading back to work. His work primarily involved tasks such as picking apples in the farm, trimming branches, and clearing the grass and weeds of the farm. As apple picking is a seasonal activity, during other months he would work as a labourer in under-construction buildings. Additionally, he would also paint windows and perform wall putty. He is following this routine for the past 10-12 years.
In earlier classes his sister use to help him with his studies After scoring well in class 10th he thought about getting admission in a coaching institute which was around 7km from his home in Pulwama district. As the fee was 30k and he only had 15K (earned from sweat and blood by working around a month) and can not afford a vehicle to reach there, he dropped the idea. Yet this studious boy found a way by getting reference books from the people around him. A Ph.D. Scholar Dr.Gulzar Naik helped him with his studies He scored well in the 12th class as well.
Inspired by a tehsildar from his village he also once dreamt of becoming an IAS officer. His dream of becoming a doctor got a push when he have seen a success story of a Bihar girl who got selected in the NEET examination from a similar background. He does not have a mobile phone till late in class 12th. After working hard and earning 7000 he bought a mobile. But buying a course online was yet out of reach.
Then came Diwali which lit up his dreams also, he got a discount and purchased a course YAKEEN2.0 even then his struggle doesn't come to an end; he started working on alternate days and indulging himself more in his studies.
On the day of the examination, he was nervous about the future and even on the day when the result was announced he was working 20km away from his home and got the news on the phone. He is very happy now and told that being happy was just a dream for him and he thought happiness was one of the things that he can not afford at that time all that he knows was working hard since his childhood.
It is easy to blame destiny, misfortune and all the other things on the planet to blame, and hard to fight with all these things and not give up in the most difficult situations. And those who chose the harder way always come as a conqueror.
In times like now when most of the kids do unnecessary demands and throw tantrums, Umar used to earn for his family and take up his responsibilities.
If there is will there will be a way! Keeping up his head he never sought any financial support from his relatives or anyone but from time to time he sought guidance and other study-related support in the form of books from the people around aka Humsaya!
Want to know his complete story? Watch this video and dive into the ocean of motivation and gratitude!
Take a sneak peak at some of the inside news
