Perseverance pays: Young Kheri scientist makes his way to Columbia University

Lakhimpur Kheri: Young scientist Muneer Khan, 25, belonging to a remote Kheri village Gauriya, has carved his way to Columbia University, setting a scintillating example that where there is will, there is a way

Lakhimpur Kheri: Young scientist Muneer Khan, 25, belonging to a remote Kheri village Gauriya, has carved his way to Columbia University, setting a scintillating example that where there is will, there is a way.

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Muneer’s quest for knowledge proved so strong that he took no time in leaving his cushy job as research associate with Google in Moscow to pursue master of science course and then a doctorate in electrical engineering in Columbia University.

A few weeks back, he was also awarded with Emerging Scientist 2020 Award at the 11th international scientist conference in Kolkata.

Muneer told HT: “The research and development wing of the Columbia University would fund my studies.”

However, to reach this height, Muneer braved all odds of life.

Born in July, 1996, in Gauriya village, , Muneer Khan was the youngest among five brothers and three sisters and lost his father when he was just one-year-old.

Fortunately, his under-educated siblings wanted to see him well-educated.

“After completing my primary education at the government-run primary school in my village and junior high school from a zila panchayat college, I was admitted to City Montessory School Inter College in Lakhimpur city, which changed my entire life.”

“Given my meritorious record and interest in science, the college waived my fees and provided all facilities, which led me to develop a project to generate electricity from waste material,” Muneer said.

He added that the project won him the young scientist award from none other than the former president of India late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

On his merit, Muneer later succeeded in getting admission to Birla Institute of Applied Sciences in Nainital, where he completed many innovative projects.

During his studies at Birla institute, Muneer Khan developed smart water and soil monitoring systems for Uttarakhand government and a non-fatal but effective photon-emitting electronic gun for riot control project.

In his second year of BTech, Muneer had the opportunity to participate in various projects, including safety intelligent censor for colloborative robotics.

Muneer’s talent and ceaseless efforts brought him an unexpected job opportunity from a Geneva-based CERN lab just after his BTech in 2019, at an annual package of Rs. 98 lakh.

This was followed by his employment in Google in Moscow as a research associate at an even more attractive package.

However, Muneer is no longer interested in serving abroad.

“Whatever I have achieved is in India and it is my sacred duty to serve my nation with whatever talent I have,” he said.

“After completing my master’s and PhD degrees from Columbia University during the next three years, I have resolved to set up my own start-up in India.”

“Now, I intend to become job creator and not job seeker so that I can help those youths who have faced similar odds in their lives,” Muneer said.

--Deokant Pandey