Guwahati: An Assam tea vendor from the Bajali district aced the NEET exam and landed a coveted spot at AIIMS-Delhi.
Rahul Das aged 24 used to sell tea to support himself and his mother. He was able to sell tea while also studying for the NEET exam. He seized this opportunity on the first try.
Das dropped out of school after Class 12, but he kept his dream of becoming a doctor alive and continued to work toward it. His father died eleven years ago. Since then, the mother has been solely responsible for the household’s needs and for parenting him and his brother.
According to reports, Das said he would study in between serving clients at his mother’s business in the district’s Patacharkuchi Chowk area.
“I’ve watched my mum work extremely hard for us. We couldn’t afford a shop assistant. Since elementary school, I’ve made it a point to assist her in some way… I brewed tea and sold it as well. I would sit down to study at the shop whenever it was possible “He added.
He dropped out of school in 2015 after graduating from high school due to financial constraints.
He was accepted to the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology for a two-year diploma in plastic engineering (CIPET).
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he completed the course in three years with honours (85%) and was hired as a “quality engineer” by a multinational firm in Guwahati in October 2020.
However, he was dreaming of becoming a doctor.
According to national media reports, Das stated that “There was no sense of fulfillment in my work… I’ve always aspired to be a physician. One of my cousins is a dentist, and he was the one who inspired me.
I decided to quit my job and start studying for the NEET with any resources I could find online because I couldn’t afford to buy books “Customers queued outside his shop for a cup of steaming hot tea.
Meanwhile, Das who has a burn on one hand, admitted that he placed 12,068th in NEET but that his Scheduled Caste (SC) and Person with Disabilities (PWD) certifications helped him get into AIIMS.
Das expressed his gratitude to the people who aided him financially during his time of need.
“Maa’s shop is on Mantu Kumar Sharma’s land, who owns a large hardware store in Patacharkuchi Chowk. But he never charged us rent. “We live on the campus surrounding district Deputy Commissioner Bharat Bhushan Devchoudhury’s apartment, and he has now booked my flights to Delhi.” He has aided us in a variety of ways.
“Two days ago, Assam minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass came to our shop and handed over Rs 10,000 to me for immediate needs,” he explained.
It may be noted that Devchoudhury’s family lives on the campus of his ancestral home in Patacharkuchi and that he has never charged rent for it.
The deputy commissioner added, “We are quite proud of Rahul because he is the first from Bajali district to get a seat at AIIMS, New Delhi.”
According to Devchowdhury, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on Friday that the state government will cover all of Das’ educational expenditures.
Das is looking forward to a bright future in the nation’s capital where he will be pursuing medical studies for the next few years. In June, he will begin his session.