While we always keep on reading about the celebrities then we can also have a look at the other famous personalities who can inspire us in a better way. Here we are sharing about the acclaimed Indian teacher, Anand Kumar who got all his fame from his innovative educational program called Super 30, through which he has helped the poor students pass the IIT-JEE by providing them free coaching. So, to get influenced by his achievements you need to read further with us.
Biography/ Wiki
Anand Kumar was born on 1 January 1973 (age 45; as in 2018) in Patna, Bihar. As he is from a middle-class family, so he was sent to a government school only. To initiate with his interest in mathematics, he formed a club named “Ramanujan School of Mathematics.” He got all the fame when his Super-30 program got featured on the Discovery Channel in 2009.
Despite the approach of the government and non-government organizations for the financial aid for his program, he is still running it on his own.
Family & Children
Anand Kumar was born in a middle-class Hindu family and lead an ordinary life before he made it big with Super 30. Not much is known about his father beside the fact that he was a clerk in the Postal Department of India. Moreover, his mother’s name is Jayanti Devi, who used to make Papad; as a source of income after her husband expired. He has one younger brother, Pranav Kumar, who is a violinist. He is married to a Ritu Kumar who is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee. The couple is blessed with a son named Jagat Kumar.
Anand Kumar with his son
Career
After the death of his father, when he saw his mother hardworking, he helped her with the delivery of papad that she used to make. But to continue with his interest in mathematics, he started a coaching centre adjoining the club he initiated in 1992. He helped the needy students to prepare them for clearing competitive exams at really genuine fees. So, the number of students grew to almost 500 in just a matter of 3 years. Then his program named Super-30 got its place in 2002. The program begins with the help provided to the 30 financially lacking students to prepare for IIT-JEE, without taking any fees. Besides free coaching, free food and accommodation were also given. Basically, he has fulfilled his dream of taking the education to the revolutionized level of success.
Awards & Recognitions
- The tale of his extraordinary work in the field of teaching was presented in the article of the The New York Times.
- Soon after he got the fame, he appeared in a documentary hosted by Miss Japan Norika Fujiwara, who came to cover him all the way to Patna.
- He was honoured with the Ramanujan Mathematics Award on the occasion of the Eight National mathematics convention held at Rajkot. He also got awarded with S. Ramanujan Mathematics Award from the IRDS.
- He released a biography based on his life titled Super 30, written by Biju Mathew and covered by Journalist Arun Kumar. In this book, he is praised as a face of the Bihar.
Controversy
In 2018, he was accused of telling false stories to gain popularity; as some his students claimed him to be a fraud. According to them, Anand presented exaggerated stats about his coaching centre’s success by stating that 26 out of 30 students cracked the IIT-JEE exam in 2018. But, the reality was, only 3 students from Super-30 were able to clear the exam. The students also claimed that when they tried to get enrolled at his coaching centre, Anand sent them to another coaching institute named Ramanujam Mathematics Classes. The student trusted Anand and joined the Ramanujam Mathematics Classes and even paid high fees with a lucrative offer to get their money back later, but they never got their money back. However, Anand dismissed all such claims and called it an attempt to dent the reputation of Super-30.
Facts
- He developed an interest in mathematics at a young age and made up his mind to do something in the field of mathematics only.
- In 1994, he got an admission in Cambridge and Sheffield universities but couldn’t pursue his dreams due to the financial crisis after his father’s death.
- Being an avid reader, he had to travel and stay at the BHU in Varanasi in order to just read some journals on mathematics; mainly due to the unavailability of foreign journals at Patna University.
- The idea of Super-30 came to his mind when he helped a financially weak student in the year 2000 who couldn’t afford ₹4000 for his IIT-JEE coaching.
- In 2010, he was given the top award of Bihar government, “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Shiksha Puraskar.”
- Amitabh Bachchan‘s role of “Prabhakar Anand” in the movie Akarashan (2011) was inspired by his Super-30 program.
- In 2017, he featured in Kaun Banega Crorepati season 9, hosted by the Amitabh Bachchan.