Aspiring to Inspire

When a teacher advised him to give up his desire of joining the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Saood Nazir became all the more determined to chase his dreams. Now a student of IIT Kharagpur, Saood has planned to set up an IIT coaching institute in Kashmir valley, Sana Fazili reports.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT ) was his dream. Even attending National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Hazratbal, Srinagar, did not quench his thirst to be a part of IIT. Saood Nazir toiled hard to make it and it was in his second attempt that he qualified IIT-JEE and was placed in IIT, Kharagpur.

When he first sat for IIT exam in 2010, Saood was not successful. But he kept working hard. He didn’t want to give up his dreams and aspirations and nothing could stop his dedication and hard work. He worked hard for two months and appeared in All India Engineering Entrance Exam, which he cleared successfully in the very first attempt. After counselling, he was placed in NIT, Srinagar, the prime institute of engineering in Kashmir valley.

In his second attempt, Saood Nazir put together all his efforts and successfully qualified IIT exam in 2011 and was placed in IIT Kharagpur where he is currently pursuing an integrated course of Masters in Physics. He was ranked 4293 across India, scoring 268 in the examination.

“Studying for thirteen hours a day and being devoted to God made me achieve my goal,” says Saood, who has been a studious and dedicated student since his childhood.

At NIT, Hazratbal, when Saood asked his teacher if he could avail a holiday to prepare for IIT-JEE exam, his teacher sternly told him, “I guarantee that you won’t make it through.” For the dedicated and ambitious boy, these words from a teacher ignited the spark in him and he was all the more inspired to work hard.

Saood still believes that these words from his teacher made him so determined that he achieved his goal of qualifying IIT in just two months although, earlier, he had worked on it for two years.

Saood has his roots in Shopian district but has been living with his parents and two siblings in Bagh-i-Mehtab area of Srinagar for the past 12 years now. He did most of his schooling in Srinagar city.

The young boy is now aspiring to make IIT coaching and qualifying the exam affordable and attainable for the youth of valley. Saood himself had spent two years in Kota to prepare for IIT exam.

Saood recently took up a plan to establish a coaching institute where the students of the valley would be trained to qualify IIT exam which is one of the most difficult exams of India. Not many students from Kashmir valley have qualified this exam. As such, there is no specialised coaching available in valley for IIT exams.

As per Saood’s plan, the coaching would be free, except for the monthly printing charges which will be a matter of few hundred rupees. The amount is very less when compared to the packages that count in thousands charged by other coaching institutes in the valley. Along with two other friends from IIT Kharagpur, he has taken the pledge to inspire the aspiring candidates of IIT.

“The student intake capacity will be 30 in each batch.” Saood says, talking about the strength of students in the coaching class. “The idea is to inspire the students and to provide them with right study material. I want to guide them along the right path.” says Saood whose father is a Principal and mother a high school teacher.

He believes that students from Kashmir are not able to crack the IIT exam because the study material they are given is not sufficient for qualification. The idea of free coaching for IIT aspirants from Kashmir came out of need that Saood himself had felt.

“Very less number of students from Kashmir are in IIT’s across India because of which I had to face questions which would hurt my sentiments as a Kashmiri.” Saood says while talking about his interest in starting free IIT coaching in Kashmir valley.

His two other friends who are going to join Saood in his noble cause found a sense of belonging “ethinically”. Both of them are non-Kashmiris. “Being from the same ethnicity, my two other friends found themselves attached to this place. This made them agree to help me to guide the IIT aspirants of Kashmir.” Saood says.